Warring Hearts
by Space Chick
Summary: Jonathon Maxwell and Leigh Chang have been off and on for the past four years, a never ending cycle of breaking up and getting back together again. But how long can it go on? Where does it stop? A/N: Happening about the same time of Changing Seasons.
1. Fighting Again

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

_ _

Warring Hearts

**_ _**

"HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME!" shouted Jonathon. 

"WILL YOU STOP SCREAMING AT ME!" yelled Leigh. She took a deep breath and pushed out of the porch chair. "I didn't want to tell you because you would start reacting just like this," she said in a lowered voice.

"You saw Megan necking with my best friend, who happens to be my baby sister's boyfriend!" he snapped, shoving his hand through his hair, "I have every right to overreact!"

"But it doesn't give you the right to raise your voice at me! You and your powder keg of a temper! I was shocked at what I saw! I debated on whether to not to tell you and I chose not to because you would go straight to Miles and beat the shit out of him!" she exclaimed heatedly. "You always act before you think you baka!"

Jonathon glared at her and pushed out of his chair and stood over her. "Oh and I suppose you don't jump to conclusions either! You chased me around with a damn katana when I told you about Megan coming home with Miles and me."

Leigh glared right back, not at all intimidated by the chilling look from those cobalt eyes. "I overreacted! So sue me! How can I not when your nickname in school was Casanova Maxwell!" 

"I haven't cheated on you!" he snapped. 

"I never said you did you idiot!" she said exasperatedly. She shoved up her bangs in frustration and turned her back to him. She rested her hands on the railings of the Maxwell's front porch. It was Tuesday, two days after the Sunday dinner from hell. Her head fell forward between her stretched out arms, her long raven hair tumbling over her shoulders. "I just meant that you've always had a reputation with girls and it doesn't always inspire confidence in me."

Jonathon stared at her bent head and raked his hand through his thick chestnut hair. He forced his temper down to a safer level. "Are we back to that again?" he asked quietly.

"No, we're not, but how can I not think of that after what's happened to Randy? Miles and you were much the same, except he was called Romeo. I can't help feeling that way," Leigh replied in a soft voice. 

"Well hell Leigh, how many times to I have to swear I wasn't looking at anther girl or even flirting with her? Why can't you trust me!"

"Because you have cheated Jonathon!"

"It was one time! It wasn't supposed to happen, I was just a little…"

"Drunk," she finished flatly, "You were drunk and you were about to fall into bed with Valerie Marshall before David stopped you."

Jonathon frowned and walked up behind her. "That was a mistake, I know. But didn't I make it up to you?" He pulled her back up against his chest, feeling her stiffen slightly. He locked his arms around her waist and bent his head over her bare shoulder. "That was two years ago babe. I've been faithful ever since." 

Leigh compressed her lips into a thin line. "Stop the sweet talking Maxwell."

He leaned back a little but didn't remove his arms from her waist. "I'm not sweet talking," he said affronted. He propped his chin up on her shoulder. "How did this conversation become about us? We were talking about Megan, Miles, Donavon, and Randy."

She shrugged her shoulders. "It just turned out that way. But honestly, I didn't know if I should tell you. You would fly off the handle and we didn't need another maniacal Maxwell running around. Your dad and Chris already fill that position quite nicely. I didn't know Vaughn would start that whole inquisition," she said as she glanced at him over her shoulder. Her ice blue eyes met his. "I was going to tell you if it didn't come to light."

"I'm sorry if I yelled at you Leigh, but this house hasn't been the most pleasant place to be that past two days. Dad looks like he could still kill, which makes mom apprehensive. And Randy is pale and withdrawn. She barely can make herself get out of bed to go to work with dad," Jonathon said as he bent his head, resting his forehead against the curve of her neck. He pressed his lips against her skin. He could smell the traces of the jasmine bath gel she used. 

Leigh folded her arms over his. She kissed his hair. "I'm sorry. I know how you feel about your sister. And I know it really hurts you to see her like this. But she's strong, she'll brave it out."

"She has to be or else if she doesn't come out of this depression of hers, no amount of distance will keep my dad from going after Miles with his bare hands or a shot gun," Jonathon sighed. 

"You know, not to be picky, but Randy cheated with Donavon as well," she said hesitantly. 

"She was drunk, she didn't know what she was doing," he replied in defense to his sister. 

"I know, but cheating is still cheating, whether you're drunk or not," Leigh said as she frowned a little. She turned around in his arms to face him. "You were drunk as well. It's not that viable an excuse."

"Don't be so on the straight and narrow. No one should live that way," Jonathon said as he looked down at her. "You're way too serious."

"Then don't be that willing to bend the rules like you do. It's black or white; there shouldn't be any in between. And you always put things in the shades of gray."

"Leigh, there is no absolutes. It can't be black and white. There has to be some leeway. I cheated on you once and only once. You still took me back."

"Only because you were a persistent little pest. You lay on the charm the most when you want something," Leigh said dryly. 

"But it worked, didn't it?" Jonathon smirked.

"But that's besides the point Jonathon. I only took you back with the warning if you ever cheated on me again I would kill you."

"Then if that's so, why have we broken up so many times?" he asked quizzically. 

"I only broke up with you three times and you've done it four times. And I dumped you once because you cheated. The second time I was mad at you, and three, I think I was mad at you again."

He wrinkled his nose a little. "You broke up with me the second time because I didn't do something you wanted. The third time was because you were having a bad case of PMS."

His reply caused Leigh to grit her teeth. "Well if you weren't so provoking Jonathon Lawrence Maxwell I wouldn't have to resort to breaking up with you. And if I remember you broke up with me twice because you wanted "space" and the other two times you let your temper get the best of you."

"I did not break up with you because I wanted space!" Jonathon protested.

"Yes, you did! I remember exactly what you said too! "Leigh I want to take a break since I'm starting college," and "Leigh I think we should take a break and see other people." That's exactly what you said."

He dropped his arms from around her and took a step back. "I never said anything like that!"

"You did! You're just choosing not to remember because you don't want me to be right!" she said as she narrowed her eyes at him. 

Jonathon narrowed his eyes right back. "Well maybe you have a faulty memory because I don't remember it that way!"

Leigh's mouth dropped open. "I don't have a faulty memory thank you very much! I'm right and you know it! You always do this when you know I'm right!"

"YOU'RE NOT RIGHT! I DIDN'T BREAK UP WITH YOU THOSE TIMES BECAUSE I NEEDED SPACE!"

"LIAR! YOU DID! SO STOP LYING!"

He clenched his hands into fists. "I'M NOT A LIAR!"

"YES YOU ARE!" She slammed her hands against the metal railing. 

"DAMMIT LEIGH, I'M NOT!"

"THAT'S IT, I'VE HAD IT! I'M NOT GOING TO STAND AROUND HERE AND ARGUE WITH A HARDHEADED BAD TEMPERED MAXWELL!"Leigh turned on her heel and flounced down the brick steps. 

"FINE!" Jonathon yelled at her back as she walked towards her car. 

"FINE!" she yelled back as she got in her car and slammed the door. She took off down the driveway in a screeching of tires. 

Jonathon turned on his heel and went back inside the house, slamming the front door as he went. "Damn woman, always thinks she's right!" he mumbled under his breath as he went back to the kitchen. He didn't look at his mom or dad as he yanked open the basement door and went down the steps. He went to the far corner of the basement and took a swing at the punching bag. 

******************************************************************************

Hilde sighed. "How many breakups does this make it now?" she asked Duo.

Duo looked up at her from his dinner. "I think it makes number…eight."

She sighed again. "This is getting ridiculous."

He sighed as well and went back to his dinner. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon punched the bag for twenty minutes. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He had since stripped off his shirt, which was damp as well. He rested his hands on the wall as well as his forehead on the cool concrete wall. His breath was coming out raggedly. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Dammit Leigh why did this happen again?"

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Leigh pulled into the driveway of her home. She slammed into the house and walked past her parents sitting in the small breakfast alcove. She pulled open the fridge and took out an apple. She went to the butcher block and with the sharpest knife she could find, sliced the fruit neatly in half with one chop. The metal hitting the wood sounded throughout the silent kitchen. 

Wufei arched a brow at his oldest daughter. "Let me guess, Jonathon," he remarked drolly. 

She growled and with one slice, split one half of the apple into two. 

"I think that's our answer," Sally replied as she watched Leigh do the same with the other half of the fruit. 

"What did he do this time?" Wufei asked as he watched her take out a second apple and cleave it the same way she had done the first. 

"I would rather not say dad! Except that he's a baka! And a Maxwell!" Leigh said through clenched teeth. She threw the apples in a bowl and stamped up the steps to her room. 

******************************************************************************

Wufei frowned. "I don't like this." He turned and looked at Sally. 

"You don't like much," Sally answered dryly as she put down the magazine she was looking at and folded her hands on the table. 

"It's that Jonathon Maxwell. I should have stopped that relationship before it got this far. Now this is the eighth time that she's come home like this. It's a tell tale sign that they broke up again. I won't have some baka Maxwell making my daughter unhappy," he scowled. 

"You can't interfere in her love life Wufei. She's twenty-three years old," she said mildly. "Jonathon was her choice."

"And what a bad choice it's turning out to be! There should be a warning put out that says, "Don't let your daughter date a Maxwell," Wufei ranted. 

"Well Heero let Victoria marry Chris, so it can't be that bad," Sally said with some exasperation. 

"Heero dislocated that Maxwell's arm for sleeping with his daughter! And all three Maxwell boys have had numerous girlfriends!"

She rolled her eyes and sighed, having heard this argument before. 

"They all inherited that braided baka's deplorable traits! And Jonathon is making my daughter unhappy!" Wufei continued irately. 

"Wufei! Calm down before you give yourself a coronary!" Sally said, raising her voice a little so she could be heard over her husband's ranting. 

His mouth snapped shut at her outburst. "Well then what do you have to say about this onna!"

Sally pushed her bangs up in frustration. "I think you should stop getting upset about this every time she comes home upset! She loves him you bakayaro!"

Wufei snorted disdainfully. "A mistake in my opinion."

"Then it's your opinion! But she loves him and you can't tell someone to stop loving someone else!"

"I would have much rather her date someone who didn't have a reputation," he muttered under his breath. 

"You're impossible! There is no getting through to you!" Sally hissed as she pushed out of her chair and left the kitchen. 

Wufei listened as a door upstairs slammed. He sighed and then scowled. "Silly onna," he mumbled. Then he thought of Jonathon. "What did you do this time brat?" he asked himself.

Leigh heard the door slam down the hall as she lay across her bed. "Dad must have pissed mom off again," she sighed as she crunched down on another apple. She reached under her bed and pulled out a set of daggers. She went over to the window and opened it before sitting on the edge of the bed. She picked up a dagger and with deadly accuracy sent it flying out the window into the bark of the tree outside. "Damn Maxwell! Can never admit that he's wrong!" she said as she sent the second dagger out into the night. "Damn myself for loving him so much!" A third dagger embedded itself into the tree. "Damn him for being a baka!" A fourth dagger found its mark. "And damn him for never saying, "I love you!" She hurled two daggers at once, sending them deep into the bark of the tree. She wiped away the few tears sliding down her cheeks. "Why can't he say it just once! Why can't he say that he loves me!" she said chokingly. She pushed down the lump in her throat. "Damn you Maxwell for making me love you so much it hurts!" 

A/N: Well I hope you liked the first installment of my new story! I thought it would be fitting if I did a story with Jonathon Maxwell and Leigh Chang. There's more coming soon so stay tuned! XOXO!


	2. Tounge-Tied Feelings

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

_ _

Warring Hearts, Part 2 

**_ _**

Jonathon's eyes followed Leigh as she walked away from the buffet table at breakfast. The desert sun shone off her hair like a mirror. They had only been apart for a week and now they were in Arabia on vacation. 

"You're sad," David said as he nudged his brother in the ribs. 

Jonathon turned his eyes towards him. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"The way that you're eyes have been following Leigh around for the past few days since we got here. If you want to talk to her, go talk to her," David replied as he cut into his pancakes. "Instead of being a baka and letting it go."

"I'm not being a baka!" Jonathon hissed as he speared right through the waffles on his plate. 

"You've always been a baka when it comes to her," Chris interjected as he sat down next to them, with Alexandra on his lap. "She's the one girl you seem to get tongue tied with."

"Shut up Chris," Jonathon snapped, slinking down in his seat a little. 

"But I'm right though. It only proves that she means something to you if you always trip over your words when you're around her. I did the same with Victoria and David did the same with Kellie," Chris said as he fed a little bit of fruit to his daughter. 

"You and Victoria only tried to kill each other instead. You enjoyed pissing her off," Jonathon remarked drolly. 

"That's probably true, but look I ended up marrying her. You my dear brother at the rate you're going, are going to fail if that's your goal," Chris said knowingly. 

"Who said anything about marriage. I never said I wanted to marry her," Jonathon protested as he put down his fork. 

Chris arched a brow at him. "Then why are you getting all upset that she isn't talking to you and your watching her a like a forlorn puppy dog?"

Jonathon scowled at his older brother. "Oh what the hell would you know!"

Chris smirked. "I know plenty. Too bad I can't say the same about you." 

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Jonathon asked irately. 

"It means, you either talk to her or lose her. Don't you care about her at all?" David asked as he took a sip of his orange juice. 

"Yeah, I care about her," Jonathon mumbled. 

"Do you love her?" David prodded. 

Jonathon's lips twitched. "What does that have to do with anything?"

David and Chris choked. 

"You mean you don't love her!" Chris exclaimed as he finally stopped choking. 

"I didn't say that!" Jonathon hissed as he glared over at him. "And keep your voices down!"

David tilted his head to one side. "Have you even told her that you love her?"

Jonathon flinched guiltily. 

"Oh you are a baka!" David said frowning. "All the years you've been dating, and you never once told her how you felt about her."

"Well she knows that I care about her!" Jonathon said defensively. 

"A woman needs to hear that you love them. It's almost what they live for when they have a boyfriend you dope!" David said, rolling his eyes. 

"Well I just never told her, so get off my back!" Jonathon growled as he pushed out of his chair and went back up to the buffet table. He placed three more waffles on his already syrup-drenched plate. He could see Leigh out of the corner of his eye, coming back to the buffet table. He swallowed reflexively as she stood across from him, apparently ignoring him. "Hello Leigh," he said in a subdued voice. 

Leigh glanced up at him briefly. "Hello Jonathon." She turned away from him. 

"Leigh, wait," he said as he reached across the table and grasped her arm. "I want to talk to you."

"Oh so you want to talk to me now. About what?" she asked, annoyed. 

"I just want to talk to you, that's all," Jonathon said as he lowered his eyes a little. 

"When you know what you want to talk to me about, come and get me," Leigh snapped as she pulled her arm out of his grasp and walked away. 

Jonathon gritted his teeth in frustration. "Dammit!" he muttered under his breath. He set down his plate and followed her. He grasped her arm again, pulling her around to face him. "I don't want to say when we have an audience, but what I want to talk to you about is important!" He looked down into her upturned face. "Please Leigh."

She pursed her lips and stared at him. She could see the pleading look in those cobalt eyes of his. "I'll think about it. Can I have my arm back now?" 

He let go of her arm. "Thank you," he said, smiling slightly before going back to the buffet table to retrieve his plate. He sat back down next to David. 

"So you're going to talk to her?" David asked as he eyed his older brother. 

"Yes, I'm going to talk to her," Jonathon answered as he poured more syrup on his waffles. 

"And this time don't screw it up," Chris smirked as he fed Alex a bit of pancake. 

Jonathon glared at his two brothers and went back to eating. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh sat back down again on the wicker loveseat next to Quatrina Winner. She picked up her plate again. 

"So what did he want?" Quatrina asked curiously. 

"He wanted to talk to me," Leigh said as she cut into her Belgian waffle. 

"And are you?" asked Merin from the loveseat across from her sister. 

"I said I think about it," Leigh said as she glanced over at Jonathon on the other side of the terrace. 

"You are glutton for punishment Leigh," Quatrina said as she rolled her eyes. "How many times have you given in to him?"

"Too many," Merin said as she too rolled her eyes dramatically. 

"Who wouldn't with a body like that?" Carin snickered from her chair against the wall, deep in the shade. 

"Carin! I'm shocked!" teased Kellie as she sat on the railing, holding onto her plate of blueberry muffins. 

"Oh come on Kellie! You date a Maxwell! You have to admit that they're all hot looking," Carin said as she grinned. 

"That's the truth," admitted Veronica as she came over and sat down next to Merin. "Just look at them."

All the girls turned around to look at the three Maxwell brothers sitting on the other side of the terrace. Chris was busy feeding himself and Alex, David was laughing at Chris, while Jonathon was smirking at his older brother. 

"I'd be lying if I said no," Isabella said casually as she leaned around her sister to look at them. She cast a look towards Kellie and Leigh. "So are the two you two have good kissers?"

"Good Lord Is," Carin sighed. 

Kellie flushed, as did Leigh. 

"There's your answer," Merin laughed. "Look at their red faces."

"You think Chris is?" Carin asked. 

"You'd have to ask my sister that," Veronica said as she popped the last crumb of her corn muffin in her mouth. 

"He is," Victoria replied as she came outside from the dining room. She sat down in the shade. She patted her stomach. "But don't be getting any ideas."

"He must be good or else you wouldn't have gotten pregnant again so quickly," Veronica smirked at her older sister. 

Victoria stuck out her tongue. "So what else were you guys gossiping about out here?"

"About Leigh and Jonathon," said Merin as she licked the last bit of syrup from her fingers. "He wants to talk to her about something."

"I see," Victoria commented as she looked over at Leigh. "So are you going to talk to him?"

"I don't know if I should," Leigh said uncertainly as she finished her waffle. 

"I don't think she should. She's too easy on him," Quatrina remarked.

"All he has to do is kiss her and her brain goes into overload," Mira interjected as she sat against the railing on some throw pillows. 

"Oh what would you know," Leigh grouched, crossing her arms defensively. 

"Plenty. We've seen your face after he kisses you," Mira said as she shrugged her shoulders. 

"Well maybe you should talk to him. A Maxwell is a little thick in the head sometimes," Victoria commented. "The men are anyway. But it is your decision Leigh. You don't have to talk to him if you don't think you should."

Leigh sighed and raked her hands through her hair. "I probably will end up talking to him, but I won't let him get the upper hand this time."

"Just make sure he doesn't kiss you or else you're done for once again," Quatrina stated as she brushed her russet hair with her hand. 

"He won't kiss me this time. I'll talk, and this time, maybe he'll listen," Leigh sighed as she turned and looked over at him. He was holding onto Alex as Chris ate. A faint smile crossed her lips at the scene. "Just maybe."

******************************************************************************

Jonathon waited out in the gardens for her. He tapped his fingers restlessly on the edge of the marble bench. He had watched her at dinner as she sat across from him. She hadn't looked at him at all. He heard the sound of someone coming. He stood up when he saw it was her. _"Man, she does she always have to look so beautiful?" His eyes traveled over her slim frame. She was wearing a blue floral knee length skirt with spaghetti strapped matching tank top. He let out a breath as she got closer to him. "You came."_

Leigh eyed him as she approached. _"Carin is right, they're all hot looking." She took in the black cargo pants, with the white undershirt, and the dark blue gray button up shirt. "Yes, I decided to hear what you had to say," she replied as she sat down on the bench he stood next to. _

He was tongue-tied. His mouth twitched as he tried to find the words. "Leigh… I just…I don't…"

She rolled her eyes and pressed her finger to his lips. "Enough Jonathon. Take a deep breath and then try talking."

Jonathon took her finger away from his mouth and laid it on the bench, with his hand covering it. He took a deep breath and looked at her. "I just wanted to say, that I was sorry I blew up at you last week. I didn't mean to yell at you. I was upset and I took it out on you."

"Finally we're getting somewhere," Leigh sighed as she gently tugged her hand from under his. "And I'm sorry for calling you a hotheaded baka."

"Did you mean to break up with me too?" he asked as he tilted his head a little. 

"No, not really. But I guess I did put it out that way," she admitted, flushing a little. "But when you act like that, I guess I was already a little mad at you to begin with so I walked out on you."

"You always did get mad too fast."

"I do not!"

"Well you do, every once in a while. It's not like I don't."

"Yeah you and that Maxwell temper of yours," she said as she rolled her eyes. "Why do you have to fly off the handle like that all the time?"

"Like you don't fly off the handle Leigh. But like I said before, Randy was in bad shape last week and it makes things a little tight because it means my dad is uptight, which makes everyone else in the house a little tense. So am I forgiven yet?" He could hear the sounds of the piano being played inside the main house and his sister's sad lilting voice. 

Leigh shook her head. "You don't waste time do you? Is there anything more you would like to say?" She looked at him expectantly. 

"Uh…umm…I don't know. Do you want me to say something else?"

She frowned deeply at his reply. She could also hear Randy's voice carried along on the evening breeze. She rubbed her arms reflexively to ward off the cold feeling. 

"Are you cold?" Jonathon asked as he slipped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. 

"I'm not cold."

"You're shivering a little."

"So, that doesn't mean anything," Leigh replied, feeling his warmth seep through his shirt and onto her skin. He was always warm and when they weren't fighting, she loved to curl up next to him. But she knew if he kept this up, she would forgive him in a minute. "But you haven't answered my question yet?" she asked as she looked up at him. His face was close to hers. _"Oops." She blinked rapidly. "Well?"_

"Well what?" he asked as he looked into her eyes. He leaned closer to her. 

The sound of Randy's voice and the piano faded. 

"My…question…you didn't answer…it," she said breathlessly. He was way too close. 

"Oh that question," he replied in a low voice as he touched his nose to hers. 

"Are…you going to…answer it?" Her heart began to trip madly. _"I can't let him kiss me or else I'm lost." She could feel his breath against her lips. They were tingling._

"Maybe," Jonathon said as he brushed his lips against hers. 

Leigh's eyes closed and he kissed her. 

He gathered her close, pressing his lips against hers before parting them and slipping his tongue inside her waiting mouth. 

She was helpless under the gentle assault. His kisses were like a drug. They completely immobilized her body and her thoughts. __

_ _

Jonathon pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her, kissing her deeply. He stroked the roof of her mouth before his tongue tangled with hers once again. His hands rubbed circles on her lower back.

Leigh was drowning and she knew it. She knew she needed to stop him, but at the same time she didn't want to stop him. Mira's words flickered through her muddled brain, "_All he has to do is kiss her and her brain goes into overload…We've seen your face after he kisses you," and Quatrina's words echoed, __"…Too easy on him…"It had to stop and with a lot of effort, she managed to pull her lips away from his and she hurriedly got off his lap. She took several gasping breaths, turning her back to him. _

He stared at her puzzled. _"She's never done that before." "Leigh?"_

"Not this time Jonathon. I won't let you kiss me and make everything ok again," she said as she turned to face him. "It's not fair to me."

"But Leigh…"

"NO JONATHON! I won't do this again! I won't let you kiss me and make me forget everything. It's not that simple."

"And who said it had to be hard?" he asked, his voice raising a little. 

"BECAUSE IT IS!"

"IT'S ONLY HARD WHEN YOU MAKE IT THAT WAY!"

"THEN WHY HAVEN'T YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION! YOU ALWAYS KISS ME WHEN IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION!"

"I DO NOT!"

"YES YOU DO! EVERYTIME WE BREAK UP, YOU THINK YOU CAN KISS ME AND MAKE IT ALL BETTER! BUT NOT THIS TIME JONATHON LAWRENCE MAXWELL! JUST ANSWER MY DAMN QUESTION!"Leigh yelled at him. 

Jonathon looked at her slack jawed for a moment before his mouth snapped shut. He had never seen her this serious before about this. "HOW CAN I ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION WHEN I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME?"

Her mouth fell open wordlessly. "You really don't know what this is about do you?" The fight went out of her. Her arms fell lifelessly to her sides as she stared at him. "Jonathon, isn't there anything you ever wanted to say to me?" she asked ruefully. 

He shoved his hands in his pockets. He knew what she was asking. And he wanted to tell her. How he wanted to tell her, but his tongue felt like it was glued to the roof of his mouth. David's words rang in his ears, _"A woman needs to hear that you love them" He shook his head rapidly. His palms felt clammy and cold. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth, but the words didn't come. He couldn't force them past his throat. __"I have to tell her. I have to tell her. But I don't know how, I always clam up when I try to tell her that I love her." _

_ _

Leigh watched as he opened his mouth, but no words came out. Her lips twitched and curled in to hold back the choked sob in her throat. She turned her back and put her hand up to her mouth, pressing her fist against her teeth. Her heart sank as the silence continued. _"He's not going to say it." Her head hung in defeat. She looked over her shoulder at him, his eyes looking down at the sand. "Good night Jonathon," she said as she started running. She didn't want to break down in front of him. She didn't want him to see how much his silence hurt her. _

Jonathon lifted his eyes once again. He removed his hands from his pockets and slammed them against on the bench. "DAMMIT! I did it again! God, I didn't tell her again! I'm such a bakayaro! Dammit, dammit, dammit!" He couldn't hear the sounds of her footsteps any more. He closed his eyes briefly. "Leigh, I love you." He straightened and started walking back towards his family's bungalow, raking his hands through his hair in frustration. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh reached her family's bungalow and ran in, her flat sandals clapping on the tiled floor of the hall before she reached her room. She flung the door open and slammed it behind her, before she crashed onto the bed, crying brokenly. "Jonathon why didn't you say it," she sobbed into the pillow. "Why didn't you say that you loved me?"

******************************************************************************

Jonathon trudged up the steps, not noticing his sister sitting on the wicker couch outside on the small porch. 

Randy looked up when she saw her brother. He looked upset and dejected. "You look like what I feel," she said softly. 

He whipped his head around and saw her sitting there. "I didn't see you out here Randy."

Her lips quirked up into a slight smile as she motioned him to sit down next to her. "I was just thinking, that's all. So what's wrong with you?"

Jonathon sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. "Leigh."

"I thought as much, I could hear you two shouting. I'm sure the rest did as well. You two were yelling loud enough for them to hear you in space," Randy remarked as she studied his forlorn expression. "What was it about this time?"

"I'm not a hundred percent sure. I was apologizing for last week when she promptly dumped my ass, again, because I was being a baka. And then she asked me…" he trailed off, shaking his head, "You don't need to hear this. You've had a hard enough two weeks. The last thing you need to hear is my problems."

She shook her head. "I would like to hear. It might do me good to think about someone else's problems other then my own."

Jonathon glanced over at her. Her cobalt eyes were filled with sisterly concern. She was wearing that comforting expression that their mother wore when she was wanted to hear about their problems. He looked down at her hands resting on her lap. He picked one up and looked at her nearly healed palms. "How are your hands?"

"They're better. You're evading my question though. What did you and Leigh break up about and why were you two shouting at each other not five minutes ago?"

He took a deep breath. "We broke up last week because I was mad at her for not telling me what she saw when she spied Miles on the beach with Megan. And then it became some huge argument about us and it just went downhill from there. I lost my temper, as did she, so she basically told me she didn't want to deal with me anymore and she walked off. And I, let her, as usual."

Randy shook her head. "Continue."

"And tonight I was apologizing, but she was acting cool towards me for the past week and I wanted to talk to her. Everything was going well and then I asked if I was forgiven. That was my first mistake. She then asked me if I had anything else to say. Then I kissed her and that usually makes everything all right, but not this time. She pulled away and we started yelling at each other. I knew what her question meant, but I couldn't tell her," Jonathon said sadly. 

"Tell her what?"

"That I loved her."

"You haven't told her you love her!"

"No," he supplied weakly. "I try to tell her, but I break out in a cold sweat and my tongue gets tied and I don't tell her. I don't know how to tell her without me screwing it up."

"Oh Jonathon," Randy said sympathetically as she squeezed his fingers. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault that I can't tell her that I love her. I want to…but something always gets in the way. She's the one girl I've actually cared enough about to say that and I can't even tell her."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Well aren't we a sorry sight? Our love lives are totally screwed up."

Jonathon snorted at her quip. "But at least Miles told you that he loved you, even if it was empty. He had no trouble saying it to you."

"That's true, but not everyone has an easy time telling the person that they care about, that they love them. No one is alike when it comes to love. You can only be who you are. Not what someone wants you to be."

He cast a look at her out of the corner of his eye. "And where's this coming from?"

"Quatre's advice," Randy replied as she looked out at the stars. 

"That's very good advice," Jonathon agreed as he looked out at the stars as well. _"Leigh, I promise I'll make it up to you or I'll kill myself trying."_

******************************************************************************

Later that night…

Jonathon peeked in through Leigh's window. Between his teeth was a deep purple orchid that he had snitched from the greenhouse. He was glad that the bungalows were only one floor for it made it a lot easier for one to climb in and out of bedroom windows. His eyes found her bed. She was fast asleep like everyone else was at two in the morning. The sand sank beneath his feet as he pushed himself up over the windowsill and into the room. He landed with a soft thud on the floor, which also made him grateful that she slept like a rock. He walked over silently to the bed and just let his eyes rest on her. _"She looks beautiful even when she's asleep." Her raven hair was spread out on the white pillow, a few strands resting across her parted lips. Her white tank contrasted with the golden color of her skin and it molded to her soft curves. It left about several inches of bare midriff since her arms were flung over her head and the silky black pajama bottoms she wore just barely clung to her slender hips. He knelt down on the side of the bed and lightly brushed her palm with the orchid. Her fingers curled around it and she let out a whimper as she turned a little. "I love you Leigh," he whispered faintly as he pulled the sheets that were tangled about her ankles up over her bare shoulders. He pressed his lips against her temple. "I always have." And with that he left, looking over his shoulder once as he climbed out of the window and back into the night._

_A/N: This is sad isn't it? And out of curiosity, what do you think is going to happen? Stay tuned for more to see what else I can cook up to make this even more complicated! XOXO!_


	3. Spilling

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids __

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 3

Leigh sat outside next to the pool, absently twirling the orchid between her fingers. She tapped it against her lips as she watched the others swimming. It was a little after lunch. She had woken up with it in her hand and she had no idea how it got there. She saw Jonathon throw his sister into the pool and then being pushed in by his two brothers. She couldn't stifle the small laugh that escaped her lips. 

"I was meaning to ask you how your talk with him went?" asked Victoria as she turned and looked at Leigh. They were sitting in the shade. 

"It was going all right until he kissed me," Leigh replied as she replaced the orchid in the small vase next to her on the table, "then it just went downhill from there."

"Randy said she heard you two yelling at each other," Victoria commented as she took a sip of her cranberry juice. 

Leigh rolled her eyes and sighed. "We were."

"Want to say why?"

"Because I didn't want him to kiss me for every time that he does, my brain turns to mush and I automatically take him back. But not this time and I told him so. And because I asked him a question he couldn't even answer."

"And what question would that be?" Victoria asked as she pushed up her sunglasses. 

"He apologized, which was good, but I wanted him to say something more. I was basically asking him how he felt about me and he didn't answer," Leigh admitted ruefully. 

"Why did you ask him that?" Victoria asked, puzzled.

"Because not once in the years that we've been together has he told me that he loved me."

Victoria's mouth fell open in shock. "You're kidding me!"

"I wish I was, but he has never told me that he loves me. He says he cares about me, but never anything more then that," Leigh said, frowning. 

"Oh Leigh, I'm sorry," Victoria said sympathetically. 

"Don't be. I know where I stand now. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn't. And it proves that he doesn't love me, like I love him."

"Don't say that Leigh, he probably does, he just doesn't know how to say it. Most guys don't."

"How often does Chris tell you?"

"Plenty. He never seems to have trouble saying it to me. I can see it in his eyes too," Victoria said softly as she rubbed her belly lightly. She was in her third month of pregnancy. 

Her action made Leigh smile faintly. "This is sad. I'm older then you and you're already married with a baby and another one on the way."

Victoria laughed. "You're not that much older then me. Only three months." Her face turned serious again. "But he's never told you even once?"

"No, he hasn't. I don't know what it is with him though. You constantly hear David telling Kellie that he loves her and Miles even told Randy he loved her. But never once has he said it."

Victoria frowned as she looked towards the pool at her brother in law. He was being currently trying to be drowned by her other brother in law. "They're funny that way I guess."

"How do you mean?" Leigh asked, stumped.

"Maxwells. They're just a certain way that's all. I mean they're very open with what they feel for the most part. The positive feelings anyway. They seem to give their affection readily." 

"Hey babe, what are you two talking about?" asked Chris as he bounded over to his wife and Leigh. He bent down and gave Victoria a kiss. 

"Girl talk," Victoria replied. She made a face when his wet face touched hers. "Chris, you're dripping wet and it's getting all over me."

"You complain too much," Chris said unrepentantly. He pressed another kiss on her pouting lips. "So what are you talking about?"

"How much you're brother is a baka," Leigh answered freely. 

"I take it you mean Jonathon," Chris asked as he shoved his damp bangs out of his face. 

Leigh sighed. "Of course I mean Jonathon."

Chris frowned a little. "What did he do?"

"It's what he didn't do," Leigh said as she got up from the lounge chair and went inside the house, taking her orchid with her.

Chris's frown grew deeper. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He sat down at the foot of Victoria's lounge chair and continued to look in the direction Leigh had gone. He looked back at his wife. "Did she tell you what he didn't do?"

"She said that he's never told her that he loved her. Can you believe it! Your brother is a baka!" Victoria exclaimed loudly. 

Chris grimaced a little. "I already knew that he hasn't told her."

She smacked his arm. "You knew and you didn't tell me!" 

"Hey! Watch with the smacking babe, that hurts more on wet skin. But yes, he said it to David and I the yesterday at breakfast. I thought he was going to tell her."

"Why didn't you tell me!"

Chris sighed and shook his head. "I saw no reason to. I thought he was going to tell her last night, but apparently he didn't by what you're saying." He looked over his shoulder at Jonathon, who was standing on the diving board, being a showoff. "He hasn't given any indication that there's anything wrong."

"You Maxwells are all alike. You never tell anyone anything if something is bothering you," Victoria snorted. 

"Don't forget you're a Maxwell now too princess," he said rolling his eyes. 

"Yeah, only by marriage, not by blood," she replied shaking her head. She placed her hand over her abdomen. "I hope this kid or Alex don't end up like your side."

Chris wrinkled his nose. "So we're a little prideful and don't like to share. No different then a emotionless and "if you look at me the wrong way, I will kick your ass Yuy."

"I resent that remark!"

"Well your nickname was ice princess," he said dryly, "and you did kick a few asses here and there. Except for mine."

It was Victoria's turn to roll her eyes. "So I never kicked your ass to the curb, although I should have. Don't think you're special or anything. But enough about us, Jonathon and Leigh is the topic."

"I think we should just let well enough alone."

"Your brother needs a talking too as well as having me smack him around a bit."

"You women always want to meddle. Just leave it alone Victoria. Let them sort it out themselves without the outside interference. See how well it went for my sister when Vaughn went poking his nose in."

"That's her. Jonathon needs to tell her that he loves her or else he really will lose her this time. It's a known fact that Wufei doesn't particularly care for him dating Leigh."

"Wufei just doesn't want a Maxwell marrying into his family. Randy's the only one he seems to care for since she's a girl and she's earned his respect from martial arts. My dad still drives him nuts for the sheer hell of it and he groups Jonathon, David, and myself into that category."

"You three also had reputations with girls," Victoria pointed out. 

"Well I know Jonathon and I did, but David didn't advertise it like we did. He dated a lot of girls but he never talked about them. That's the only reason Wufei doesn't like Jonathon dating Leigh is because of that."

"My dad didn't like your reputation either and he still let me marry you."

"I was his godson to begin with. He couldn't very well go and kill me. I think he would have made me marry you if I hadn't asked you, only because I was sleeping with you."

Victoria shoved her bangs up with one hand, the sunlight catching her diamond engagement ring. "I think you lorded that over my dad too. He couldn't kill you because your dad would have gone after him. But this is not about us. This is about Jonathon and Leigh. We have to do something and right now I'm going to drag your brother out of the pool by his ear and tell him what he should do." She stood up abruptly and was intent on marching over to the water when she felt Chris latch his arms around her hips. "Let go Chris."

"You're not going to do anything woman. You're going to stay right here in the shade and sip your drink like a good girl. You are going to stay out of this. And I mean it," Chris said sternly, his cobalt eyes boring into hers. He pulled her down across his lap. He pressed his forehead against hers. "Promise me that you won't get involved in this Victoria." He laced his hands through hers, his wedding band coming to rest next to hers. 

She looked into his eyes. She sighed reluctantly. "All right, I won't get involved. I promise. Now can I get off your lap, you're making my shirt and shorts wet."

He let out a breath of relief and then he smirked, standing up, hauling her up against his chest. "You really do complain too much. It's only water. Or are your clothes getting a little to wet for you to wear?"

Heated color bloomed in her cheeks. "Christopher!"

Chris laughed and gave her a sound kiss before putting her back down on the lounge chair. "And what were you thinking?"

Victoria scowled at him. "Go on, get lost devil, before I find a way to hurt you."

"That a promise?" he asked, grinning before pressing another kiss on her sulking lips and running back to the pool. 

"Braided baka," she muttered under her breath as she watched him dive off the edge, headfirst. She glanced back towards the house, where Leigh had disappeared. "Well I promised not to get involved but I as sure as hell don't have to like it."

******************************************************************************

Jonathon had been watching Leigh out of the corner of his eye the entire time. He saw her talking to Victoria and he saw a surprised look cross her face. He knew that Leigh had to be talking about him. He had also noticed that she had the orchid in her hands. He felt bad for what happened the night before. He groaned a little when he saw Chris make his way over to them and her swift departure. He frowned inwardly. He didn't want anyone else to know that he had screwed up with Leigh again. But that was impossible from the look he saw his sister in law give him when she thought he wasn't looking. "Man, if Victoria has her way she'll beat my ass into submission until I tell Leigh. I just know that's what they were talking about. "

Chris surfaced and watched Jonathon sit down on the edge of the pool, with a reserved expression on his face. He swam over to his younger brother and hoisted himself up next to him. "Thinking about anything in particular?"

Jonathon gave his brother a dry look. "What do you think?"

"Oh I don't know, just that I heard from my dear wife that an idiot brother of mine didn't tell a certain girl his feelings for her. And now the wife wants to kick his ass to make him tell," Chris drawled, one brow arching in question. 

Jonathon let his head fall back. "So you found out that I didn't tell her."

"I thought you were going to you dope!" Chris hissed at him. 

"I was! But it got all messed up and it just…oh hell why am I defending myself to you!" Jonathon sputtered indignantly. 

"Dammit Jonathon, where's the lady killer brother that boasted he could have any woman he wanted?"

"That doesn't work on Leigh and I won't use it on her. I have a little more respect for her then to be a smooth talker!"

"Oh and you didn't respect those other girls?" Chris asked, his forehead furrowing. 

"Not like I do her! And like you're one to talk! You were just as bad as me!" Jonathon retorted, his eyes narrowing a little. 

"Yeah, but at least I told the one that I loved that I loved her!" Chris shot back. 

"You slept with her first or don't you remember! It was the only way that you two would admit your feelings for each other!" Jonathon gritted out. 

"This isn't about me! This is about you're inability to admit your feelings to Leigh! You're going to lose her if you don't say anything!"

"Don't you think I know that! I've tried all right! It doesn't come as easy for me as it did for you!"

"Stop being a coward!"

"I'm not a coward!"

"Wanna bet?" Chris growled. 

Jonathon ground his teeth together. "Do you want me to beat the shit out of you?"

Chris glared right back. "I think it would be me, beating the shit out of you!" He stood up, looking down at him. "Come on."

Jonathon stood up and faced his older brother. Chris was an inch taller, but they both weighed about the same. And their strength was about the same. He looked him in the eye. Cobalt and cobalt clashed frostily. "So you want me to kick your ass in front of your wife? Fine with me."

"Someone should have beat some sense into you about this years ago," Chris flared, coming toe to toe with Jonathon. 

Both men continued to glare at each other, not noticing that the others had stopped to watch. 

Duo came out, following Randy, after she had come in to tell him that Chris and Jonathon looked like they were about to have it out. He saw them giving each other glacial looks. "All right you two, what's going on?" he asked as he reached them. 

Neither of them answered. 

"I'm waiting," Duo asked shortly, his eyes bouncing between his two oldest. 

"Nothing," Jonathon replied in a clipped voice. "Nothing at all."

Chris snorted at his reply.

"It certainly doesn't seem like nothing," Duo said pointedly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Care to tell me?"

"No," Jonathon answered as he turned on his heel and stalked off, fuming silently. 

Duo sighed and watched his son's retreating back. He looked at Chris. "You want to tell me what you two were ready to kill each other for?"

"It was nothing dad. Just leave it at that for now," Chris said, as he shot a fulminating look at Jonathon's back before turning on his heel and making his way towards his wife. 

Duo raked his hand through his hair in agitation. He glanced at Randy. "Do you know?"

"Nope, I only saw them about to fight. I didn't hear their conversation," Randy said as she shrugged her shoulders. She gave him a rueful smile. "But I wouldn't worry about it. They'll both cool down in a little while." She gave him another smile and jumped back into the pool. 

Duo frowned deeply. "Why can I never get a straight answer out of any of my kids?" he mumbled under his breath as he went back to the house. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon went into the house, bypassing all the other rooms and going straight to the kitchen. He opened the freezer and stood in front of it, taking deep breaths to calm his temper. 

Leigh went into the kitchen to get another drink for herself. She was brought up short when she saw him standing in front of the icebox. 

He heard someone's footfalls on the tiled floor. He lifted his head off his arms and glanced towards the door. His eyes widened a little when he saw it was Leigh. 

She didn't say anything for a moment. "I didn't know you were inside the house," she said once she regained her voice. 

"I was hot and Chris and I needed to be separated before we kill each other," he replied as he closed the freezer door to look at her. 

"And why were you two fighting in the first place?" Leigh asked curiously. 

"About you. It seems you told Victoria about last night and she wasted no time in telling my brother, who promptly talked to me. And now I'll never hear the end of it thanks to you," Jonathon said waspishly. 

"It's not my fault," she said, her ire sparked at his tone. 

"Yes it is! You could never keep your mouth shut about what I did wrong to anyone. And every time we break up, I'm the one who takes all the blame!"

Her nostrils flared as she stared at him. "You're being an asshole and I don't have to take this crap from you."

"Well I'm sorry, but you have to. You're just as much to blame as I am," he said accusingly. 

"This time it really is your fault, you inconsiderate blockhead!" she snapped angrily. 

"At least I'm not a loose lipped bitch!"

"I hate you!"

"The feeling right now is mutual sweetheart!"

Leigh turned on her heel at his final insult and slammed the kitchen door. "Damn that bastard!"

Jonathon whirled around on his heel and slammed the other kitchen door. "Stupid woman!"

__

A/N: Can it get any worse then this? Stay tuned for more coming soon! XOXO!!


	4. Fixing and Drinking

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

**_Warring Hearts, Part 4_**

Leigh sighed and leaned against the front door. They had come home from Arabia a week ago and all she had done was work. Like her parents she was a Preventer in the Sank Kingdom branch, serving as a physical therapist since her parents were adamantly were against her becoming a field agent. She raked her hand through her haphazard hair. She tossed the leather jacket on the chair by the front door. 

"Is that you Leigh?" Wufei asked as he came out of the living room. He smiled when he saw her starting up the steps. "Good you're home."

"Why are you in such a cheery mood?" she asked as she tugged her white dress shirt free of her tailored navy skirt. 

"I would like you to come in her for just a moment," he said, sighing at her disheveled appearance. 

"Ok," she said as she walked back down the steps and followed him into the living room. She tugged the pins that held back her silky black hair. She was curious on why he was acting so happy. She was brought up short when a young man stood up from the couch. She noted that he was several years older then her. And he was Chinese. 

"Leigh, I would like you to meet Xin Ling. Ling, this is my eldest child Leigh Po," Wufei said proudly. 

"Nice to meet you Leigh," Ling said, bowing respectfully. "I've heard a lot about you from your father. It is an honor to meet someone of the famed Dragon clan."

Leigh arched a brow at her father, who smiled innocently. "It's a pleasure, I'm sure. Please forgive my appearance. I didn't know we would have company."

"Quite all right. I understand that you're a hardworking woman," Ling said with understanding. 

Leigh gave him a slight smile. 

"Why don't I leave you two alone? I will see what your mother is making for dinner," Wufei said as he left the room.

"He's letting mom cook? She can't cook that good," Leigh commented to herself. She looked back at Ling. "So how did you meet my father?"

"I work at the Port City Hospital as a anesthesiologist," he replied. "Please sit and I will tell you more about myself." He gestured to the couch. 

She sat down on the pale yellow silk cushions. He sat down next to her. "So you're a doctor. How old are you?"

"I've just turned twenty nine. I actually met your father through your mother. She's a gifted doctor and a wonderful woman," Ling replied as he folded his hands on his neatly creased navy slacks. 

"She is," Leigh said, giving him another slight smile. 

"And I understand that you're a physical therapist for the Preventers. That's a very prestigious appointment," he said as he gave her a smile. 

"Well when both your parents are still on the Preventer payroll and have been there since the agency's conception, it tends to help a little," she said, her smile a little tighter. 

"But you're very gifted I hear."

"I guess I have my mother's healing touch," Leigh answered. She was studying him closely. A trait she picked up from both her parents. _"Slicked back hair that's been freshly trimmed, a suit that I know costs a fortune is neatly pressed, his shirt doesn't even have wrinkle. Even his shoes are highly polished. And he's respectful towards my dad. Complete opposite of Jonathon. **Get out of my mind Maxwell. **But he is and dad just loves him." _

Ling cast a look towards his stainless steel watch. "Well I must be going. I'm due at the hospital in an hour." He looked back up at her. "If it's not to forward of me, I would like to take you out to dinner tomorrow night."

She was taken aback and very suspicious of his request. "You know, you still have to ask my dad for his permission?"

"Your father suggested it. Only if you accept of course," Ling said respectfully. 

Leigh pondered for a moment. She now knew her father was fixing her up, but Ling seemed nice enough. She curled her lips into a sweet smile. "Of course Ling. I would like to go out to dinner with you."

He smiled broadly. "It's an honor in itself just to hear you say yes." 

She rose from her seat. "May I walk you to your car Ling," she said, keeping the smile plastered to her face. 

Ling rose as well, following her to the door. "What time may I pick you up at?"

"About seven," Leigh replied as she opened the door for him. 

"Good, I will make reservations at Le Belle," he said as he stepped out on the front step. 

"Le Belle, how nice of you," she said as she stepped out with him, closing the door behind her. She looked towards the street and noticed a brand new Mercedes parked at the curb that she hadn't really noticed before. "Is that yours?"

"Yes, I just got it a week ago," Ling said sheepishly. He looked back at her. "It's been an honor to meet you Leigh and I will pick you up at seven." He gave her another bow and walked towards his car.

****************************************************************************** 

Leigh waved him off and she went back into the house. She closed the door behind her and made a beeline for the kitchen. "DAD!"

Wufei gave her a guileless smile as she came in. "So how did it go?"

"Oh you knew how it was going to go dad," she said in a deceptively sugary tone. "You knew I wouldn't say no out of respect to you."

"I just want your happiness Leigh and Ling is a respectable young man. He would do you good after dating that Maxwell."

"That Maxwell's name was Jonathon dad, and may I remind you, he comes from a respectable family as well."

Wufei snorted. "Duo is anything but respectable. He hasn't been since I met him."

"You only say that since he still knows how to get the best of you," she said challengingly. 

His nose twitched. "But all his sons have inherited his genes. They're not much better then the father. But I think Ling would be good for you Leigh. He's nothing like Jonathon."

"So I noticed. He's the antithesis of him," Leigh said dryly. 

Sally, who had remained quiet through the exchange between Wufei and Leigh, finally spoke. "Wufei I thought I told you not to." Her tone was chiding. 

Wufei turned to look at her. "I did what I thought was right. I'm looking after my daughter. If I had my way in the first place, I wouldn't have let her date that Jonathon Maxwell. I knew I should have arranged marriage for her when she was born," he mused. 

"Dammit Wufei, this is not like you and your first wife!" Sally snapped at the same time, pointing a knife she was using to chop vegetables at him. 

"I was a lot better off onna, and Leigh would have benefited from the same arrangement. So would Merin. But you said no and I listened to you," Wufei pointed out. 

Sally threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Our daughters should be free to choose who they want."

"Well Leigh wouldn't have been hurt all those times by that…that boy if I had my way! It's been going on for four years and he's broken her heart eight times too many. I'm putting my foot down," Wufei said defiantly, glaring at his wife. 

"Hello, I'm right here and I don't like to be talked about!" Leigh hissed as she slammed her hands on the countertop. "This is not the time of arranged marriages dad! We're not in China, where things like this might be commonplace!"

"You're as bad as your mother! You're too good for Maxwell's second brat! And I refuse to stand by anymore and watch you get hurt by him! And I thought Ling would be a welcome change for you!" Wufei snapped as both women were verbally attacking him. "But just give Ling a chance Leigh. You'll like him, I promise and if you don't, you can find someone else…but not someone like Jonathon," he finished darkly. 

Leigh gave her father a glacial look. "Fine." She spun on her heel and marched out of the kitchen, up the steps and slammed her door. "I hate men!" she snapped as she flopped across her bed. 

*******************************************************************************

Downstairs, Sally was still glaring frostily at her husband. "I can't believe you went and did that to our daughter! She's twenty-three years old and quite capable of choosing her own man. She doesn't need you to do it for her! Jonathon Maxwell is not as bad as you make him out to be! You saw him grow up! He's a very nice young man and you know it! You're just tainted by the fact that he had the gall to date our daughter!" 

"Onna, Jonathon may not be all that bad, but he still hurt my daughter and taking a leaf from his father's book, he hurt my daughter, I have every right to not like him," Wufei snapped as he crossed his arms. 

She picked up the knife again and began to furiously chop the vegetable on the wooden block. 

He knew that she was mad at him once again by the set of her jaw and the fiery look in her eyes when she looked up at him. He said nothing, and left the kitchen, going back to the living room. He looked at the mantle where the kids' photos were displayed. He picked one up of all three Maxwell boys with their dates for the Winter Ball held at the Yuy/Merquise residence last year. They all stood in a row, Chris and Victoria on the right, David and Kellie on the left, and Jonathon and Leigh in the center. "I'll make sure she's happy Maxwell and make sure that you'll never hurt her ever again."

******************************************************************************

The object of Wufei's dire thoughts was sitting in front of the computer in the study of his home, his glasses slipping down his nose and his hair mused from raking his hands through it countless times. He was doing payroll, a job Hilde had delegated to him since he would be graduating from the University of Berlin in December with a degree in business and mathematics. "Dammit!" he muttered again as he banged his head on the polished desktop. "This is simple math, why the hell can't I do it!"

"Having trouble dear?" Hilde asked as she poked her head in. She smiled reassuringly at Jonathon. "Why don't you take a break for a while? And maybe when you're rested, you'll feel better."

Jonathon smiled thinly at her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, go rest for a little bit. I'll have your dad work on it some," she said warmly.

"All right," he said as he pushed away from the desk and stood, stretching his cramped muscles. He gave his mother a brief hug as he passed. "Thanks mom."

"No problem love," Hilde said as she pressed a kiss on his cheek. "Go. Relax."

He nodded his head and slowly climbed the steps. 

She looked after him, a worried look crossing her face. Years had been kind to her, leaving her with few wrinkles. And many said she was still a beautiful woman even though she was now in her mid-forties. Hilde sighed and placed her hand against the brass knob of the office door. "My poor baby."

******************************************************************************

Jonathon silently closed his door behind him, and then sat down on the edge of the bed. He reached under it and pulled out a flask, filled with tequila. He made a face when he took a big gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He screwed the cap back on the flask and lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He wasn't really a drinker, but since this latest breakup with Leigh, really hit him harder then usual, he wanted to forget. But it was hard since they had been raised together, grew up together, and had been together for so long. His cobalt eyes clouded a little. He missed her desperately. He hated the icy silences she had been treating him with since Arabia. He much rather her yelling and screaming at him since then he at least knew that he was affecting her in some way. "Dammit Leigh, what did you do to me? You knocked me for a loop the first time you kissed me and I haven't recovered yet." He sat up again as he polished off the bottle. "Guess I'll have to refill this," he sighed as he tucked it in the waistband of his cargo pants and under his loose fitting white tee shirt. He went back down the steps and back into the study, where he saw his dad, scrunching up his face as he looked at the numbers on the computer monitor. "Need help?" he asked, smirking slightly. 

Duo looked up at his son. "Yeah, your mom made me do it and she knows I hate doing payroll with a passion," he sighed. "Want the job back?" he asked hopefully. 

"Yeah, I'll take over again," he said chuckling as he sat down again the chair his dad vacated. He pushed his glasses back on that he only used when he was in front of a computer for long periods of time. He wrinkled his nose a little. "You do hate doing payroll, you've already messed up two columns of numbers."

Duo placed his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. "Yeah, well I was always better at the selling and the buying, not the accounting."

"Got that right," Jonathon said under his breath. He looked back at his dad. "Go on and spend more time with mom. I'll finish these up and I'll call you when you need to stamp your signature on it."

"All right," Duo said as he smiled relived that he didn't have to do it anymore. He left the room. 

Jonathon turned back towards the vast columns of numbers on the screen. His fingers rapidly began to undo the mistakes his father made. But it was still hard for him to concentrate. His mind was still on Leigh. _"I have to get her back somehow. Even if it kills me. I love her too much to let her go."_

******************************************************************************

Duo sat down next to Hilde on the couch, draping his arm behind her as she watched television. "Jonathon is back doing payroll."

"He is? Already? He should have taken a longer break then that?" Hilde said wryly. 

"He insisted before I screwed it up anymore," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. 

Hilde sighed and leaned her head back on his arm. "I'm worried about him though. He's working himself to death like you do when something is bothering you and you're trying to forget."

"He broke up with Leigh. That's answer enough to why he acts like this. Don't worry, in a few weeks he'll get over it and he'll do something to get her back," Duo answered as he looked into her worried eyes. 

"But I think it's more then what he's telling us because he doesn't want our involvement. I think that fight he almost got into with Chris might have been about that, which implies that he's involved. Randy and David might be too, but they haven't said anything."

"Don't worry about babe. He'll be fine."

"How can you be so dismissive? With Randy, you're as sharp as a tack, with the boys you're as dense as the armor on your Gundam."

Duo snorted and pulled her closer. "Fathers are usually a little more observant when it comes to their daughters. Sons are usually the mothers department."

"But Duo, I think he's drinking to hide it!" Hilde hissed at him. 

He sighed again. "And I think you're imagining things. I would know if he were. I could tell if he was drinking or not."

"Duo! I'm serious! Watch him for the next few days and then tell me there's nothing to worry about," she snapped as she crossed her arms and turned away from him, her eyes going back to the TV. 

Duo sighed again. He watched her profile, the images reflecting off her glasses. "I'll watch him. I promise you Hilde," he said softly as he turned her head to face him. He looked into her stormy cornflower eyes. "I promise, Ok?"

Hilde nodded her head stiffly. "Fine." She settled back against his arm and went back to the screen. 

He pressed a gentle kiss on her hairline, just as extra reassurance. He looked back at the screen as well. _"I really hope I'm right in thinking that there's nothing wrong with my son and if he's not, Hilde will worry to no end. I don't want her to do that. Randy was enough for her and for me this summer." _

_A/N: I'm really messing them up aren't I? Can't wait for more? It'll be coming soon! XOXO! _


	5. Anger, Jealousy, and Guilt

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids __

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 5

Leigh gave herself a once over in her full-length mirror. She sighed and twisted her hair up into a neat bun before shoving two jet chopsticks into it. She dropped her arms to her sides and regarded her reflection again. The simple black dress came down to her knees and had a modest scooped neckline. Jet beads circled her throat and the studs in her ears winked in the bright light. "You will have a good time tonight Leigh. You will make the most of it. You're a Chang. And you will not think of Jonathon," she said sternly to her reflection. But the mere saying of his name brought the handsome, sexy, six foot three, cobalt eyed man to the forefront of her mind. "Dammit!" she hissed at herself, stamping her heeled shod feet on the floor. "Get out of my mind!" She turned away and snatched up her black clutch, slamming her door behind her before she made her way down the steps. She muttered deprecations at herself as she walked into the living room. 

"Are you ready Leigh?" Wufei asked as he stood up. He frowned slightly when her saw her frowning as well. 

Her head popped up. She saw Ling standing next her dad. She plastered a congenial smile on her face. "Of course, I'm sorry I kept you waiting," she said sweetly. 

"It was no problem Leigh. I brought you these," Ling said warmly as he handed her a bouquet of deep yellow lilies. 

Leigh was genuinely surprised. "Thank you. These are my favorite," she said as she took them. She looked back up at him. "How did you know?"

"You don't seem like the kind of woman who likes roses or anything like that. When I saw these, I knew they were for you," he said, smiling at her response. 

"How nice of you," Leigh said, some feeling coming into her voice. 

"Now are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

"Good," Ling said, as he gave her another engaging smile. He turned to Wufei. "I will have her back at a reasonable hour," he said reassuringly. 

"That's quite all right. Have fun," Wufei said, smiling broadly. 

Leigh gave her dad a look as they left the living room. "Good bye dad," she said as she placed a kiss on his cheek. 

"Good bye dear, have a wonderful time," Wufei said as he opened the door to let them out. 

"We will," Ling said as he gave Wufei a respectful bow before he escorted Leigh to his car. "Leigh," he said as he opened the door for her. 

"Thank you," Leigh said, her lips turning up in a slight smile. 

Ling nodded his head before closing the door. He climbed in next to her and the car silently came to life as he took off down the road towards the town. 

******************************************************************************

Wufei closed the door behind him with a satisfied smirk plastering his face. Sally, standing in the entranceway to the kitchen, with her arms crossed over her chest brought him up short. "Yes?"

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Sally asked as she pushed away from the doorframe and walked towards her husband. 

"So much, it makes me want to grin all night long," he replied happily as he walked towards her. 

"You would. What did you tell Ling about Leigh?" she asked as she blocked his path. 

"The general stuff mostly. He'll get to know her better of course. I see big things up ahead for the two of them," Wufei answered as he absently rubbed his hands together. 

"You're delusional, that's what you are," Sally said as she propped her hands on her hips. "Does he know about her recent breakup with Jonathon?"

"No, no, of course not. And I know Leigh won't tell him either. Maxwell isn't important anymore since he won't be hanging around her and making her unhappy," he said confidently. 

"You're so sure of yourself aren't you Wufei? You really think that Ling will make Leigh happy?"

"I don't think, I know Sally. He will make her happier then that boy ever could," Wufei said loftily as he looked down at his wife. 

"Don't be so sure about yourself, Chang," Sally said darkly as she turned on her heel and walked back into the kitchen. 

He stared at her retreating back for a moment. "Onna, for the first time, I am damn sure she'll be happy," he said under his breath as he finally followed his wife into the kitchen. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon rubbed his temples again for what it seemed to be the umpteenth time tonight. He was sitting at the computer going over some paperwork. He could hear sounds of his family, as well as the Yuys, the Merquises, and the Bartons in the kitchen. They had come over for an early dinner. He plucked his glasses off his nose and they dropped with a tiny clatter on the desk's polished surface. "Man, I need to get out of here," he groaned as his head fell back. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before pushing the chair back and walking towards the family room. He stood by the door and quietly observed the occupants of the room. "I'm going out," he announced, breaking the almost silence in the room.

Duo's head turned towards his son. "Where to?" 

"I don't know. Just out I suppose," Jonathon replied as he walked past them and into the kitchen. 

Hilde turned worried eyes towards him and she looked up at her husband. "Duo?"

He sighed as got up off the couch and went into the kitchen. He tilted his head at his second born, quietly looking at him. "Any reason you're going out?" he asked. 

Jonathon turned and looked at his dad. He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just want to go out. Be alone for a little while. I won't be late," he said as he took his keys from the hook by the mudroom door. 

Duo sighed as his son walked across the kitchen to the back door. "Jonathon."

Jonathon paused for a moment, with his hand on the brass doorknob. He shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it dad." He opened the door and went outside. 

The door clicked back into place. Duo sighed again, deeper this time, and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He looked towards the family room, where Hilde was standing there on the steps. "He didn't tell me anything babe. I don't think he's going to either. Our children are much the same when it comes to dealing with upsets. They don't say a thing."

Hilde's lips turned into a frown. "Don't you think you should go after him?"

"No. I think he should be alone for a little while. It won't hurt him to go out," Duo answered as he went over to her. He bent down, pressing a kiss on her hair. 

"You know that's this is almost the first time that he's gone out on a Friday night, alone," Chris commented as he came into the room to get Victoria another glass of milk. "Usually, he would be out with friends, out with Leigh, or out with other girls. It does strike one as being strange when he wants to go out and be by himself."

"Chris is right Duo. He shouldn't be alone. I know how he'll get. He's like you when you're feeling bad. And that…"

Duo pressed a finger against Hilde's lips. "Babe, he'll be fine. Don't worry so much about him."

She gave him a skeptical look. 

"He'll be all right Hilde. Don't worry. Now let's go back in the other room, and sit down," he said as he gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose and a slight push back towards the family room. 

"Ok," Hilde said reluctantly as she went back into the other room. 

Duo shook his head. 

"You're worried too, aren't you dad?" Chris asked as he put the milk away. "You're hiding it from mom, so she won't worry more."

Duo looked over at his eldest. "I'm a little worried about your brother. He's not the one to act like this. But I don't want your mother getting more upset then she already is. It's better off for all of us that way," he said quietly as he walked back into the other room. 

Chris rolled his eyes. "Like that'll ever happen in this family."

******************************************************************************

Jonathon drove down to the town, parking in the public lot. He ran his hand over the metal of his truck. The custom color was almost the exact shade of Leigh's eyes. Those cool icy blue eyes flashed through his mind briefly. He shook his head to get rid of the image. "Damn, why do I always think about her at the most inopportune times," he muttered at himself as he walked down the streets, which were teeming with people. He didn't notice the many looks he received from other women, young and old alike. He reached up and unbuttoned the top few buttons of the light blue dress shirt he was wearing, revealing the white undershirt beneath. He looked up and found himself outside of the ice cream shop. He stopped and leaned against the take out window. "Oh Morgan," he called. 

"Is that you Jonathon?" a pretty brunette asked as she came to the window. Her deep brown eyes finding him, smiling slightly at her. "Jonathon Maxwell, haven't seen you for a while."

"I was on vacation with my family," he said as he leaned down to her level. He gave her a soulful smile. "Can I have some ice cream pretty girl?"

She sighed and smiled at him. "Flatterer," she laughed as she turned her back, heaping several large scoops of vanilla ice cream in a cup. She turned around and set it in front of him. "There. Now tell me, what brings you here on this night?"

"Needed time out of the house I guess. Wanted to be alone, actually, but I found myself coming here instead," Jonathon replied as he lifted out a spoonful of ice cream. 

Morgan Valenti arched a brow at him. "You wanted to be alone? That's not the Jonathon I know."

"I'm not the Jonathon anyone seems to know," he sighed as he looked away from her. He felt her eyes on him and he glanced back at her. "What?"

"Something is bothering you. I dated you for six months, I think I know you pretty well," she said as she leaned down on her elbows and looked up at him. "So what gives? Where's that love of your life, Leigh?"

Jonathon frowned and looked away again. "She dumped me."

"Again?"

"Yeah, again. I was being an idiot and she dumped me."

"Oh Jonathon, I'm sorry," Morgan said as she gave his shoulder a squeeze. 

"It's all right Morg, I deserved it this time," Jonathon said as he closed his eyes briefly. He looked back at her. She was wearing a sympathetic smile. She had been the only other girl he had taken seriously. He had cared a great deal about her, but he had known he hadn't loved her. He knew she was too good for him and he broke up with her. She seemed to understand and hadn't yelled or screamed at him for it. She was now one of the closest friends he had. "I didn't tell her what I really felt for her and this time, I think she really left me for good."

"Jonathon, you never told her you loved her, did you?" she asked as she searched his face. 

"No," he said, hunching his shoulders. "I've tried, believe me. Its not that I don't want to tell her, it's just I can't get the words to come out of my mouth."

Morgan sighed. "You're a hopeless case. I know you love her because you told me you did. Why can't you tell her? You had a hard time telling me you cared a great deal about me and you had an even harder time, breaking up with me. I know you don't like to share those feelings, but I think this is the one time you should really do it. She needs to know. And I know you've probably heard it from others."

Jonathon raked his hand through his hair and let it drop to his side. "Telling someone I care about them and telling someone that I love them are two different scenarios Morgan."

She snorted and gave him a dry look. "Don't make excuses for yourself. You have a hard time expressing any feelings of love because you've never had to before. You never let anyone get that close to you before. Only Leigh and I have seen what you keep hidden. You have such a big heart Jonathon, but you've always been to scared to admit strong feelings, so you date as many girls as possible, knowing and hoping that none of them will feel anything more then a passing interest in you because you're hot looking and great in bed."

"Can you not play amateur psychologist?" he groaned, because he knew she was right about him. It was a psychological problem. He was tainted by the fact that most of the girls he dated had only wanted him because of those two things and so he had never let himself get close to any girl. Except for Morgan and Leigh. They hadn't been looking at those things from him and had just liked him for who he was inside and he let them close. He never fooled around with Morgan, but he had with Leigh, and it was so much more then it was before. And only then he understood what his dad had told him when he first started dating. _"A few words of advice. One, when a woman says no, she means it. Two, for Godsakes use protection. And three, the most important of all. If you love the girl, you'll wait for her, and when you do, it will be a thousand times better because it's with someone you love." _ He pressed his forehead against the cool red brick. "You know I hate it when you're right."

Morgan gave him a slight smile as she leaned out the take out window and gave him a brief hug. "I'm not always right Jonathon. Sometimes I am, but I know you need to do this if you love her enough." She leaned away and brushed back a lock of his hair that had fallen over his forehead. Then she noticed something on the other side of the street. "Jonathon, don't turn around."

"Why?" Jonathon asked as he turned around and his heart stopped in his chest. There was Leigh, being helped out of a sleek new Mercedes. His mouth fell open with shock. 

She could see the look on his face, the feeling in his eyes. "I told you not to look you baka," she said under her breath as she shook her head at him. 

The first feeling that ran through him was overwhelming hurt, then another feeling, wholly alien to him, ripped through his body. Jealousy. Searing, flaming jealousy as he watched the other man, tuck Leigh's hand though his. She was holding flowers and she was smiling. He ground his teeth together. 

"Oh shit," Morgan muttered to herself as she saw the flames flickering dangerously in his cobalt eyes. She knew that look. She knew of his temper. "Jonathon, you're not going to go over there."

He turned his eyes back to her. "Me, go over there? No I won't be going over there. I'm just going to watch," he growled in response. He tossed the now empty cup in the trash and started walking in the opposite direction. "Later Morg."

Morgan watched him leave, concern written all over her face. She looked at his retreating back and made a split second decision. "I'm going out," she yelled towards her father as she climbed through the take out window, not caring that she was wearing a short khaki skirt and sandals. She could hear her father shouting at her, but she knew she had to go after him. She paused briefly in front of the window at Le Belle and looked in at Leigh with her date, before running after Jonathon. 

******************************************************************************

Ling smiled at Leigh from across the table as she looked over the menu. He had always thought she was pretty from the brief glimpses he would catch of her while she was in the hospital, visiting her mother. He couldn't believe his luck when her father had invited him to their house so he could meet her. And she was beautiful up close, but he had noticed the wall she kept around herself. He kept his eyes on her as they ordered. He smoothed the linen napkin on his lap and set his hands on the table in front of him. "Have you ever eaten here before Leigh?"

"Yes, just once though. It was for a rehearsal dinner for a friends of mine when they got married," Leigh replied as she took a sip of the expensive wine that he had ordered. 

"Who were they?"

"Victoria Yuy and Chris Maxwell. I've known the both of them since I was little. We went to school together."

"Yuy? Is she the daughter of the Foreign Minister, Relena Darlin Yuy?"

"Yes, she is. She's her eldest child. Her father is Heero Yuy."

"I know of him. He's the ESUN's Security Advisor and one of the former Gundam pilots."

Leigh nodded. "They were married about…a little more then a year ago. They have a little girl, whose now seven months old and another one already on the way."

"That's quick to be starting a family so young," Ling said as he took a sip of his own wine. 

"It's not like they can't afford it. Chris works as a field agent for the Preventers, and Victoria is assistant to Mariemaia Khusrenada. Plus, Chris's parents own Maxwell-Schiebecker Rolling Mills and Scrap Yard."

"And what about you? You're the same age as them and yet you remain single."

Leigh shifted slightly in her seat. She didn't want him to know about Jonathon. "I never dated anyone who caught my interest and my affections long enough to become serious I suppose."

"That's a shame. You're a wonderful woman. Those others are fools for not realizing what a rare treasure you are."

She blushed slightly. "You could put it that way I guess."

"It makes me glad that I was introduced to you. I saw you many times when you came to visit your mother. I always wanted to meet you."

"Then why didn't you?"

He smiled a little sheepishly. "I don't usually approach a beautiful woman without at least knowing her name first. And it wouldn't be the thing either."

"I see," Leigh said as she took another sip of her wine. _"He's nothing like Jonathon. Jonathon wouldn't have cared if he didn't know a pretty girl, he would have gone up and just introduced himself and asked her, her name. **Get out of my thoughts Maxwell!" **_She gave him a congenial smile. 

Ling smiled back as their dinner was set down on the table in front of them. 

She twirled a noodle of her pasta Alfredo with bell peppers and chicken around her fork. It clinked lightly on the china. _"Perfect manners. Perfect everything. Perfect. No wonder dad loves him." _

He watched her from across the table. _"My dream come true. I can only hope this leads to another date. I think I've found the one."_

******************************************************************************

Morgan ran down the brick and stone sidewalk, searching for Jonathon. She ran towards the waterfront, almost instinctively knowing that he would go somewhere to pick a fight. She finally found a bar called the Garter. She pushed open the door and searched the crowd through the smoky haze. "Dammit Jonathon, you always had to pick the worst places to pick fights," she mumbled under her breath. She found him at the bar, nursing a drink. She pushed through the throng of people, mostly men to the bar. "Jonathon!" 

Jonathon looked up when he heard his name called. He looked over his shoulder and saw Morgan, standing behind him, with her hands propped on her hips. "Morgan, what the hell are you doing here!" he hissed at her. 

"Looking for you, you dope before you do something stupid," she snapped back as she hoisted herself up on a neighboring bar stool. 

"And you shouldn't be in here!"

"Who are you to tell me that I shouldn't! I was worried about you because I know you're probably dying to pick a fight!"

Jonathon growled in his throat and tossed back the shot of tequila. He slammed it down on the wood bar. "Get me something stronger then this!" he yelled at the bartender, who set down a bottle of rum and another glass in front of him. 

Morgan frowned and put her hand over the top of the glass. "How much tequila have you had?"

He scowled at her. 

"He's had three shots of tequila miss," the bartender answered as he walked past. 

"Jonathon!"

He gently removed her hand from the top of the glass and poured the clear alcohol into the glass. He downed it quickly, making a slight face. 

"You are not going to get yourself smashed over this!"

"Watch me!" He poured himself another and tipped it back. 

Morgan threw her hands up the air. "You're impossible!"

He nodded his head absently and continued to drink. 

She watched helplessly as he went through the half-filled bottle in ten minutes. She felt someone tap her on her shoulder. She turned around and came face to face with a man. 

"Wanna have a drink with me sweetheart?"

"No," Morgan replied and turned around again. She felt his hand on her shoulder again. She whirled around and flung his hand off. "I said no! What part of that don't you understand!"

"The lady said no," Jonathon said in a low voice, not even turning around. 

"Stay out of it kid," the man said, snorting disdainfully. 

Jonathon turned around on the stool, his eyes flashing dangerously. His temper already fueled by jealousy was now fully ignited with alcohol. "The lady said no. So I suggest you back off."

"And what are you going to do if I don't kid?" the man asked. His muscles bulged against his shirt. 

"This!" Jonathon gritted out as he hit the man with a right hook. He slid off the stool, balling up both his fists. "Come on!"

"Jonathon, don't!" Morgan cried out as she put her hand on his shoulder. 

"Get back Morgan," he ordered as he dodged a fist by the larger man. He hit back, his emotions coming to the surface. 

"BARFIGHT!" was yelled out by the patrons, and soon enough, the whole place was brawling. 

Morgan hid behind the bar with the bartender as glass smashed, tables crashed, and bodies went flying. She dared to peek over the top and saw Jonathon; still slugging it out with the muscle bound man. She saw that his lip was bleeding and his face was slightly battered. "JONATHON!" she yelled out before she ducked back behind the bar. 

"POLICE!" someone, shouted and there was a flurry of feet, trying to get out. 

She leapt over the top of the bar, disregarding her own safety, and grabbed Jonathon by the back of his shirt, pulling him behind her as she started running. 

Jonathon half-heartedly followed her, his lip and nose bleeding, a cut above his eye, and a shiner. He looked over his shoulder at the man he left behind, in worse shape, and then he had left him. He smirked wickedly as he was pulled out onto the street behind the bar. 

Morgan pulled him around to face her. "My God, you're a mess," she muttered as she looked at his face. "I'm going to have to take you to the Emergency room. Where's your truck, since you're in no condition to be driving!"

"In town," he slurred slightly as he leaned against the wall. 

She pursed her lips in agitation for a moment, before she grasped his hand, and pulled him along behind her. "You had to go and start a fight."

"The jackass was looking for it and I needed one."

"You're were taking out your jealous anger on someone else, if that's what you mean!"

"I told you it wasn't the place for you to be."

"Shut up! Just shut up Jonathon! You brought this all on yourself. If you only had told Leigh you loved her, you wouldn't be having this problem!"

"She dumped me," he said petulantly as they walked along the streets of the town now. His arm was slung over her shoulder, keeping him on his feet and steady. 

Morgan blew her short bangs up in frustration as she towed him along. They finally reached the public lot and his truck. "Keys?" she asked flatly, holding out her hand. 

Jonathon pouted and handed them to her. He climbed in the passenger side and slumped down in the seat as she started up his truck. He stared out the window at the lights as she drove to the hospital to have him patched up. 

Morgan sighed as they went into the Emergency entrance. "Jonathon Lawrence Maxwell," she said to the nurse at the desk. "He got in a fight and needs stitches."

The nurse sighed. "A Maxwell, huh? Any relation to him?"

"One of his best friends," Morgan supplied. 

"Here, he'll have to fill out these forms before he's looked at. How bad?"

"Not too bad, but you know I kind of don't want to return him to his parents messed up."

The nurse rolled her eyes and nodded. "Come on honey, I'll have someone patch you up," she said as she motioned towards Jonathon, who was leaning against the wall. 

Jonathon nodded his head and followed her, beckoning Morgan to come along. He sat down on the edge of a bed as a doctor began to clean his cuts. 

Morgan sat in the chair behind the doctor. She looked at the questions down on the clipboard. "You want me to fill some of this out for you?" she asked. 

"Be my guest…Ouch! Dammit, that hurt!" he hissed as the doctor applied solution to his cuts.

Morgan sighed and began filling out the information she knew about him. She was soon done and it rested on her lap as she waited for the doctor to finish up. 

Jonathon winced slightly as the cut above his eye received six stitches. 

"There all done," the doctor said as he slipped off his gloves and dropped them in a basket. "You can leave as soon as your form is filled out." He left the room. 

"Here, look at this. Fill out what I didn't," Morgan said as she stood up and went over to him. He was holding ice over his one eye, but his lip and nose were no longer bleeding, and were all cleaned up. He looked at the form and filled it out slowly. He signed his name at the bottom. "Can we go now?"

"Yes."

"Good," he said, hopping off the table, weaving a bit. 

She rolled her eyes and put her arm around his waist, his arm over her shoulder again. She walked out with him, placing the form on the desk. "Here, all filled out. Are we free to go?"

"Yes, go ahead dear," the nurse said as she waved them off. 

Morgan placed him in the truck and climbed in the other side. She pressed her forehead against the steering wheel. "Your parents are just going to love this."

Jonathon didn't say anything, but he leaned against the window, staring out into the night. _"Leigh."_

******************************************************************************

"That was a lovely dinner," Leigh said as they walked back out to his car, her arm tucked through his. 

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I had a wonderful time too since I was dining with an even lovelier woman," Ling said, smiling down at her. He helped her back into the car, the valet, holding the door open. He walked around to the other side, handing the valet a tip before climbing back in. "Anywhere else you would like to go?" he asked, glancing over at her. 

"No, that's quite all right. I've had a long day and I'm a little tired. If you don't mind," she replied as she looked over at him. 

"Of course not. I'll take you home," he said as he drove off down the road. He looked over at her occasionally, smiling all the way back to her house. He helped her out of his car as soon as they reached her house. "I have to be at work early tomorrow, so I will say good night to you here," he said as they stood out on the front step. 

She smiled faintly as she looked up at him. "Well…"

"Good night, Leigh," he said as he bent down and pressed a light kiss on her lips. "I'll call you tomorrow?"

She nodded her head, giving him a soft smile as she watched him go back down the walk to his car. She waved him good bye and then went into the house. "I'm home!" she called out. 

Wufei came out of the kitchen, followed by Sally. "You're home early. It's a little after eleven."

"Well I felt tired, so he brought me home," Leigh said as she walked past her parents into the kitchen to find a vase for her flowers. 

"How was dinner?" Wufei asked as he leaned against the doorframe. 

"It was very nice," she commented as she filled one with water and placed the lilies inside it. 

"Is there going to be another date?" he asked, hopefully. 

"I don't know, he said he would call me tomorrow."

Wufei smiled broadly. "That's good to hear."

Sally rolled her eyes at him. "I'm glad you had a nice time dear."

"Thanks mom. I'm going to go to bed now," Leigh said as she past by them again, pressing a kiss on each their cheeks before going upstairs to her room. Her door closed behind her with a click. She set down the flowers on her dresser and plopped down on her bed, toeing off her strappy heeled shoes. She touched her lips with her fingertips and her eyes closed. "Jonathon," she whispered sorrowfully and hung her head down between her hands and cried. 

******************************************************************************

Morgan pulled into the Maxwell's driveway, noting that there were several cars there, recognizing Chris's car and the two Maxwell SUVs sitting in the open garage. She went over to the other side, opening his door. "Come on," she said as he got out of the truck. "Which door?"

"Back," said Jonathon as he slowly followed her. 

She went through the gate to the kitchen door. She knocked on it, sending Jonathon a dark look over her shoulder as he stood behind her, his hand resting heavily on her shoulder, trying to keep himself upright. Bright light spilled across her as the door was opened. "Hi Randy."

Randy eyes focused on Morgan. "Hey, what are you doing…" she trailed off as she looked beyond the brunette's shoulder at her brother. "Holy shit Jonathon! What the hell happened to you?"

"Bar fight," Morgan said wearily. 

"DAD!" Randy yelled over her shoulder. 

"What are you yelling for?" Duo asked as he came into the kitchen. His eyes fell on the open door and his son, standing behind his ex-girlfriend. "What the hell?" He went over as they came through the door. He noticed that Jonathon was leaning a little on Morgan. 

"Bar fight," Randy answered grimly as she closed the door, watching her brother slump into a chair, his head resting on hands. 

Hilde came into the room when she heard all the commotion. "Duo, what's going…" Her voice fell silent when she saw Jonathon. "Oh God, Jonathon, what happened to you?" She went over to him and looked at his face. "Oh dear," she said worriedly. She looked back over her shoulder at her husband, frowning deeply. 

"And how did this bar fight start?" Duo asked, directing the question towards his son. 

"I started it," Jonathon stated flatly, glancing up briefly at his dad. 

"How did you start it?"

"I was mad enough to hit something."

"How come you got drunk in the first place?"

Jonathon's lips tightened into a thin line and his eyes blazed furiously for a moment, but he didn't say anything. 

"Do you know Morgan?" Duo asked, giving the question to her. 

"He was jealous. He saw Leigh…" pausing when Jonathon growled softly, "…with someone else. A man actually. They were having dinner at Le Belle. And he saw and stormed off. I found him at Garter down on the waterfront. I tried to get him to stop drinking, but…"

"How much did you drink Jonathon?" Duo asked, his cobalt eyes meeting his son's. 

"I didn't keep count."

Duo's eyes narrowed just a little at his son's flippant response. He looked back at Morgan. 

"When I reached him, he had already had three shots of tequila and he managed to polish off a three-quarter full bottle of rum," she said weakly, noting the dangerous look entering Duo's eyes. 

"Three-quarters!" Hilde exclaimed, throwing her son another worried look. 

"Damn!" was all Randy could say. 

But by now, the others were standing there on the steps, observing the proceedings. A little shocked, but not completely surprised. 

"And he told me I shouldn't have come to the Garter to look for him, but I was nervous about what he would do. And then some guy tried to ask me to dance, after I refused. Jonathon threw the first punch, starting a brawl that the police came to."

"Shit," Duo muttered under his breath. "Jonathon, are you even fully aware of what you were doing! You could have been sent to jail!"

"That asshole that was bothering her had it coming!" Jonathon fumed, his eyes flickering towards black, a sign that his temper was boiling again. "I needed a punching bag, he served his purpose well enough!"

"There's a punching bag in the basement for that purpose!" Duo gritted out, his eyes turning black as well, his temper coming to the surface. "You could have gotten in a lot of trouble! All because you were jealous!"

"I have every right to be jealous! The woman that I want, the woman that I love is out with another man, and you're telling me not to be jealous!" Jonathon burst out, angrily. "I have every damn right to be jealous!"

"You shouldn't have been drinking in the first place!" Duo almost shouted back. "And if you loved her so much, why is she with someone else and not with you!"

Jonathon's eyes narrowed to mere slits, his hands balling into fists on the table, trying to regain control of his temper. "That's none of your damn business!" He pushed back his chair, the legs screeching across the linoleum floor. He came toe to toe with his father, looking him straight in the eyes. "Got that."

Duo' s eyes flickered murderously as he stared back at his son. "You're not too old that I won't beat some sense into you!"

Hilde pushed her way between them. "Stop it! That's enough!"

Jonathon gave them all one last fulminating look before whirling on his heel, throwing open the basement door and slamming his feet down the steps.

Hilde pushed against Duo's chest lightly, until he sat down in the kitchen chair. "Calm down sweetheart. Just calm down," she soothed, wrapping her arms around him. "He's not thinking straight, his temper is already up and interrogating him while he's still under the influence of alcohol is not the best thing right now." 

Duo snorted and crossed his arms, scowling slightly. 

"I don't want you to have a coronary because you lost your temper," Hilde said firmly as she rubbed his neck with her hand. 

"Yeah, what good what it do Hilde if you did?" asked Heero, leaning against the wall. 

Duo muttered several words under his breath. 

"But it worries me even more that Jonathon is like this. He's never taken a break up between himself and Leigh this hard before. And now seeing her with someone else, puts him in an even worse state then he was before," Hilde said quietly looking towards the open basement door, where they could hear the sounds of cursing and fists hitting the punching bag. 

Duo looked up at her, his anger quickly diminishing. "I think someone should go talk to him. I know it shouldn't be me or Chris or even David because any of us could lose our tempers."

"I'll go," she said as she looked back at him again. "I think it's best that I do."

"Good luck babe," Duo said, squeezing her hand. He looked over towards Morgan. "Do you need to call your parents?"

"I should. I think Jonathon might need someone else besides his mom to talk to. And he trusts me," she replied.

Duo nodded his head at her. He cast a glance towards the basement. He sure hoped Hilde had a better time talking to their son then he did.

******************************************************************************

Jonathon continued to ram his fists into the punching bag, making the chain from which it hung, rattle loudly. Sweat was beginning to pop out on his forehead at each swing, but he didn't care. He was too angry to stop, too jealous to stop. He felt like someone had planted a knife in his back and was twisting it cruelly into his heart. He didn't hear his mother approach him. 

Hilde watched him with a sorrowful expression. His anger was apparent, making him so much like Duo. It was also sadly apparent that every one of her children had bad tempers, some worse then others. Chris and David was more the silent type in their anger, they would sit there and simmer for hours, but Jonathon and Randy had more of an explosive temper, which would show outwardly. She walked towards him and stood on the other side of the punching bag. "Jonathon?"

His eyes flickered towards her. "What?" he snapped as he hit the bag again. 

His tone caused her to draw her already diminutive height even straighter and her eyes to narrow slightly. "Don't take that tone with me young man," she said in a low voice. 

Jonathon paused in mid swing, letting his arms fall to his sides, noting his mother's perturbed expression. He sighed. "I'm sorry mom, I'm just not in the best mood to talk to anybody right now."  


"I know you're not honey, but it might make you feel better if you told me about what happened. I'm concerned for you since you've never been this way before." She motioned to the couch that graced the wall. 

He went over and sat down next to her. He could smell her comforting fragrance of French Vanilla. It made him feel a little better. He hung his head down, looking at his shoes. His head was pounding and the painkiller that they had given him when he was getting his stitches was wearing off. 

When he didn't say anything and kept looking at the floor, Hilde gently lifted his head to look at her. She carefully examined his face, assessing the damage. 

Jonathon closed his eyes for a moment as she touched his face with fleeting touches. He tried not to wince when she lightly touched where his stitches were. 

"Oh Jonathon, whatever am I going to do with you?" she said, ruffling his chestnut hair reassuringly. 

"I'm sorry mom," he said again, closing his one eye since he could barely see out of the other one anyway. "I just saw Leigh with this guy and I lost it. Something inside of me just snapped. I never felt like that before, never so incredible jealous. I wanted to hit something; I wanted to forget I even saw it because it hurt so badly. Dammit, this is my entire fault. If I had only told her that I loved her, then none of this would have ever happened. I wouldn't have lost her," he moaned as he brought his hands up to his face. "I know I don't deserve her, but I love her. I do. And now I'm not going to get her back. She's moved on."

"Shh, it's all right."

"But it's not all right mom! I've lost her because I couldn't tell her that I loved her!"

"Jonathon, you didn't lose her. Although I'm a little surprised that you didn't tell her that you loved her, it doesn't mean that she's lost to you forever."

"But she is mom! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"Just because you saw her with someone else, doesn't mean forever. You still have a chance with her."

"No I don't. I don't deserve her. I never did. She's always been too good for me and I knew it. And I bet this makes Wufei laugh with joy that she's dating someone else. He made it no secret that he disapproved of my going out with his precious daughter."

"Hush, that's enough. Don't belittle yourself like that," Hilde admonished, her hands holding onto his. "You did deserve her. Don't ever think that you didn't. You're everything a girl would want. You're handsome, smart, and sweet."

"You're my mom, you have a biased opinion," Jonathon answered, looking back up at her. 

"I might, but it's the truth. You're all those things and more."

"But those things don't matter right now. I don't have what I really want. I want Leigh."

"Then you're going to have to fight for her," Hilde said firmly as she looked into his eyes. 

Jonathon looked at his mother's determined, yet sympathetic expression on her face. He gave her a rueful smile and looked back down at his hands. He felt tightness in his throat when he thought of Leigh and the other guy. "But mom, I don't know how." 

She could hear his voice cracking under the strain of holding back the hurtful emotions. It broke her heart. She lifted his chin so she could look at him in the face. Her lips parted with a slight gasp when she noticed the tears shining in his eyes. "Oh Jonathon," she said softly as she moved forward, pulling him into a hug. 

He pressed his face against his mother's neck, his fingers clenching the back of her shirt. His eyes felt hot and gritty as he let himself cry out his frustration, anger, and hurt. 

Hilde rubbed his back consolingly, not hearing him cry, but feeling the warm tears against her skin and hearing the harshness of his breathing. She closed her eyes, willing back her own pain as her second born cried out his on her shoulder. 

__

A/N: Aren't I depressing and maybe a little evil? Well I hope you liked this installment! Stay tuned for more coming soon! XOXO!


	6. Dinner From Hell, Part 1

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids __

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 6

It was Sunday dinner once again and it was being held at the Maxwell residence this time. Hilde glanced over her shoulder at Jonathon, who was sitting out on the lawn chairs with Morgan. She had invited the girl to come since Jonathon needed her right now. Morgan had brought some homemade ice cream from her family's restaurant. "Duo, you think this is all right?" she asked looking over at him. 

Duo looked up from the grill, where he was firing up the barbecue chicken. He took a look over at Jonathon, who was staring blankly out towards the cliffs. "What's all right?"

"Having dinner here tonight? Leigh will come and I don't know how he'll react to seeing her."

"I think it's all right. He won't let her know how much their break up is really bothering him. He has too much pride."

Hilde gave her son another worried glance. "I certainly hope you're right."

Duo leaned over and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Try not to worry about it babe. It'll be all right."

******************************************************************************

Jonathon absently raked his hands through his hair. He looked back at Morgan, who was sitting at his side. He was grateful that she was there. He would need someone to keep his sanity intact while Leigh was here. "Thanks for coming again Morgan," he said quietly, as he squeezed her hand. 

"It was no problem," Morgan said warmly as she returned the squeeze. "It was nice of your mother to invite me."

He smiled thinly. "My mom worries too much about me. She knew I would need someone else here to talk to since Leigh will be coming."

"Your mom loves you a lot and she's worried. She only wants this to go easy on you."

"I know," Jonathon replied ruefully as he raked his hands through his hair once again. He looked around at the others. The Changs hadn't arrived yet and his stomach was knotted in a tight ball of tension. _"God please let me get through this night."_

******************************************************************************

Ling followed Wufei up the long curving driveway. He took a quick look over at Leigh, who was nervously twisting her hands on her lap. He had noticed that she had been apprehensive since she got in the car this evening. He had been invited Wufei to this family get together and Leigh had reluctantly agreed. He didn't know why she was acting like this. "Are you all right Leigh?"

"I'm fine," Leigh said in a breathless tone, her eyes shifting back and forth, her nerves set on edge. _"Damn dad for getting me into this mess. This is not the best thing to do. I have absolutely no idea how he's going to react. Damn you dad."_

He noticed the number of vehicles parked in the circular drive. There were cars, trucks, and SUVS of all makes parked in the shade of the large tree in the middle. He parked behind Wufei's dark green Expedition. He was slightly awed by the sight of the house before him. It was a mixture of American colonial and it's antebellum south. The silvery stone façade shone dimly in the setting sun. He opened her door for her and tucked her hand through his arm. "So this is the Maxwell residence?"

"Yeah," she replied faintly, as she followed her parents around to the back of the house. 

"I'm impressed by the architecture."

"The house was built specifically for them. Duo spared no expense in having this house built. It was more of a gift for his wife, Hilde. He let her have her way."

Ling nodded his head, his eyes looking at the to huge SUVS and the motorcycle, and in the back garage, a convertible, a truck, another SUV, a Jeep, and another motorcycle. "They have a lot of cars."

"The convertible belongs to Chris, the truck to Jonathon, the SUV to David, and the Jeep and motorcycle belong to Randy."

"I see." His eyes went to the gate, where two dogs were barking uproariously. A woman was also approaching the gate, her shoulder length black hair swinging as she walked. 

******************************************************************************

Hilde smiled at Sally and Wufei as she opened the gate. "Hello you two." The dogs barked again and she shushed them. "Duo call your dogs, they're making a racket!" she yelled over her shoulder. 

"They're only my dogs when they're barking, aren't they babe!" Duo yelled back from the grill. 

Hilde rolled her eyes and she turned to look back at Sally. "Forgive those two, you know how excited they get when we have guests."

"That's no problem Hilde," Sally, smiling as she bent down and scratched the Border collie, Lucky, behind the ears. 

Hilde smiled, but it congealed some when she saw Leigh behind Wufei and Sally, holding onto her young man's arm.

Leigh felt uncomfortable as she saw Hilde's eyes flicker with apprehension. "Hello Hilde, I would like to introduce you to my…" she trailed off, not able to find the words. 

Wufei immediately filled it in for her. "Her new boyfriend Ling. Ling, this his Hilde Maxwell."

"Nice to meet you ma'am," Ling said respectfully, giving her a short bow. 

"No need to call me ma'am, just call me Hilde," said Hilde as she noticed Leigh's jumpiness. 

Ling smiled at her as he walked through the gate with Leigh. 

Sally saw Hilde's worried expression and immediately went over to her as they walked up towards the deck behind Wufei. "I'm sorry Hilde. This was Wufei's idea, I swear. I told him not to, but the hardheaded man never listens to me."

"It's all right Sally. Don't worry about it. I'm just scared of how Jonathon's going to react. He already got in a fight Friday night because I think he saw Leigh out with Ling at Le Belle."

"Oh dear, this really wasn't a good idea. What did Jonathon do?"

"He got drunk and started the fight down at the Garter, on the waterfront."

Sally cringed, thinking of what a Maxwell was capable of when drunk and pissed. "God I hope nothing happens. This is all Wufei's idea. He fixed Ling up with Leigh."

Hilde looked at Wufei's back. He was walking up the steps of the deck. "So that's what he did? What is he trying to pull?"

"I think he wants only the best for Leigh and he thought your son was breaking her heart way too much. So he took it upon himself to fix her up with him. He thinks that Ling is perfect for Leigh."

Hilde's lips parted slightly. "He's playing matchmaker?"

Sally nodded.

"God help us all if Jonathon loses his temper," Hilde said, her eyes clouding with apprehension as she looked towards the pool, where Jonathon hadn't taken notice of the Chang's arrival. 

******************************************************************************

Wufei leaned against the railing, where Duo was grilling the chicken. "Your woman is letting you cook the chicken?"

"I can cook, you know. I'm not that bad," Duo replied mildly, keeping his eyes on the chicken. 

"That's an overstatement," Wufei said, rolling his eyes. 

Duo childishly stuck his tongue out at him. 

"That's mature Maxwell."

"Go away Wuffie."

"Not yet. Leigh, come on over here for a moment."

Leigh walked over, her hand still in Ling's possession. "Yes dad?"

Duo turned around and was brought up short by the young Chinese man holding onto Leigh's hand. He knew instinctively who he was. His eyes went to Wufei, chilling considerably. "And who's this Leigh?"

"This is Ling, he's my…"

"He's her new boyfriend," Wufei supplied, noting the look that he was receiving from Duo. 

Leigh saw the glacial look her dad was receiving from Duo. It made her shift uncomfortably on her feet. 

Duo returned his eyes to Leigh. He could see that she looked like she wanted to bolt. His gaze softened a little towards her. "It's nice to meet you Ling," he said, shaking his hand. 

"Nice to meet you too Duo," Ling said, smiling broadly, unaware of the tense undercurrents flowing around him. 

"Why don't you two go down to the pool, where all the other's are," Duo said, smiling faintly. 

Leigh nodded her head. "Come on Ling. I'll introduce you to everyone else," she said woodenly as she pulled him down the steps. 

Duo turned his eyes back to Wufei, who was smirking slightly. "Are you trying to cause an insurrection by bringing him along with you?"

"No, not at all. I thought it would be good for Ling to get to know everyone since he's going to be around a lot," Wufei said innocently. 

"Is that so?"

"I'm positive. Ling is a doctor. He's the perfect match for Leigh."

Duo's eyes darkened imperceptibly. 

Wufei noted the change, smirking again. "Anything wrong with that?"

"Did you invite Ling to lord this over my son?" Duo practically growled. 

"Of course not. You think I would do that?"

"Yeah, I think you would Wufei since you made it no secret that you disapproved of Jonathon dating Leigh in the first place."  


"I'm only ensuring my daughter's happiness Maxwell. You would have done the same for Randy," Wufei pointed out smugly. 

"I wouldn't have done this."

"Ling is good for Leigh. He won't break her heart like your second born has done numerous times."

Duo gritted his teeth, keeping his temper in strict check. "You know with that look on your face, I would say you're getting a perverse amount of pleasure doing this."

"Maybe just a little. But wouldn't you want someone better for Randy if Miles had broken her heart numerous times. I'm sure you would, considering what she went through with him."

"Yeah, I would want the best for Randy, but not at anyone else's expense. And that's exactly what you're doing Wufei," Duo bit out. "I wouldn't go as far as fixing her up with somebody. She has a free choice."

"And see where that led her in the first place? But I suppose with Donavon, you won't have to worry about that since he's head over heels in love with her. But I'm making sure that my daughter is happy and I won't have her going back to your skirt chasing son only to be hurt again."

"Are you that determined to get Leigh away from Jonathon, that you would risk instigating my son's temper?"

"Damn right I am! I won't have her hurt anymore by him! He's just like you."

Duo's eyes narrowed, flashing murderously. 

Wufei could see that Duo was on the verge of losing his temper. He smirked again as he turned on his heel and walked away. 

Duo fumed silently. He felt like choking Wufei within an inch of his life. "Damn bastard," he muttered under his breath as he went back to grilling the chicken. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh knew what her father was up to when he had called her over to him and Duo. She knew he was taking a gross amount of pleasure in lording it over Duo. And it had worked. She had seen the glacial look in the cobalt eyes and the barely clipped words she had caught as she and Ling had walked away. She almost gasped in surprise when she recognized Morgan Valenti sitting next to Jonathon, loosely holding his hand. _"What's she doing here and why is she holding his hand?" _ She felt eyes following her as her and Ling walked on, especially those of the Maxwells, which were almost bordering on hostile. She had introduced Ling to most of the others, who were polite, but sending her looks of puzzlement at the same time. Now she had to introduce him to the Maxwells and their significant others, who were all gathered near Jonathon and Morgan. She cleared her throat as she made her way towards them, Ling's hand riding her back as she walked. 

"So are they all the Maxwells over there?" Ling asked quietly as he followed her. 

"Not all of them. The one with the long braid is Chris, the one sitting on the grass is David, Randy, the only girl, is sitting on the bench, and the one in the chair…is Jonathon," she said faintly. 

"I see." He observed them as he walked towards them and was surprised that they were observing him right back with the exception of the one in the chair she called Jonathon. 

Randy turned and gave Chris a look, as he leaned against the tree. She nodded slightly and looked back at Jonathon. He hadn't seen Leigh, since he was looking down and Donavon was thankfully standing in his line of vision. 

Chris saw the look his sister had sent him. He sent the same one to David, who nodded back. _"Now the shit is going to hit the fan."_

Leigh reached them and paused for a moment. "Hi everyone, this is Ling," she said motioning to him as he stood slightly behind her. 

Donavon cast a glance at Randy, who nodded her head. "Nice to meet you Ling. I'm Donavon Barton, and this is my girlfriend Randy Maxwell," he said nodding in her direction. 

"I'm Kellie Merquise."

"David Maxwell."

"I'm Chris Maxwell, my wife, Victoria, and my daughter Alexandra."

Jonathon was pulled out of his thoughts as he felt Morgan's hand tug on his. He looked up and felt his throat tighten.

Morgan cringed inwardly. She gave Ling a wan smile. "I'm Morgan Valenti."

Jonathon's eyes bounced between Leigh and Ling, his heart twisting itself into knots at the sight of Ling's hand resting on Leigh's back. He stood up from his chair. "Leigh, I don't believe we've been introduced," he said looking at her, his eyes hardening.

Leigh flinched. She had never seen that type of anger directed at her before from him. His face finally registered with her as she got a better look. "Good God Jonathon, what happened to your face?"

Silence fell among the small group. 

"Call it, I got into a bar fight," Jonathon said flatly. "I'm Jonathon Maxwell," he said his hand stretching out and shaking Ling's. 

"It's nice to meet you too. All of you," Ling said as the other man released his hand. He didn't notice the look that Jonathon was giving Leigh. 

Leigh felt like she was standing in the middle of the Arctic, with the way that he was looking at her. The anger radiating off of him was almost touchable. He was the most dangerous when he was like this. She looked back towards Morgan, who had turned apprehensive. "What are you doing here Morgan?" 

"I was invited by Hilde," Morgan said evenly, noticing that Leigh was still looking at her hand, still intertwined with Jonathon's. "And I haven't seen Jonathon in a long time. You know you can never let good friends go to waste" 

Jonathon was still looking at Leigh. And it hurt deeply. He couldn't take the atmosphere anymore. "I'll be right back," he said as he broke from the group and started walking briskly towards the house. He needed to get away. 

Morgan was startled, as was Leigh as they watched his retreating back. I'll be right back," Morgan said as she got up from the chair and went after him. 

"Is there anything wrong?" Ling asked, noting Jonathon's swift departure. 

"No, no, there's nothing wrong," Leigh said hastily. "Come on let's go over here for awhile," she said leading him away from the three pairs of hostile Maxwell eyes. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon yanked back the sliding door as he went into the kitchen. He had brushed past his dad and everyone else on the deck. He was in dire need of something and he knew exactly what it was. He walked into the dining room and opened the liquor cabinet, pulled out a bottle of red wine and then into the study. He closed the door behind him, locking the door, before slumping against it. "Dammit," he muttered as he uncorked the bottle.

"What's wrong?" Duo asked as he saw Morgan running across the deck. 

"Jonathon was introduced to Ling," she replied as she ran past him. "And if looks could kill, Leigh would be dead several times over."

"Shit," he mumbled, as he made sure the chicken was ready and followed her into the house. 

"Jonathon!" Morgan called out. She heard a door click closed. She walked quickly towards the sound, finding herself in front of the study door. "Jonathon!" she called again, knocking loudly on the door. 

"Go away!" Jonathon yelled back as he tipped the bottle to his lips. He couldn't believe as soon as he saw Leigh, he could want to choke her and make love to her at the same time. 

Duo stood next to Morgan. "He was in the liquor cabinet," he said grimly. 

Morgan's face went as white as a sheet. "JONATHON!" she yelled again, pounding on the door. 

"GO AWAY!"

Duo muttered several curse words under his breath, before slamming his own hand against the door. "Jonathon, open the door!"

"GO AWAY!" Jonathon yelled back. He banged his head against the door, hard enough to make it hurt. He slid down to the carpeted floor, holding the bottle to his lips. 

Duo gritted his teeth. "I'll be right back," he said as he turned on his heel and left the area. A few moments later he came back and knelt down on the hardwood floor in front of the keyhole. "You'll come out of that room even if I have to force my way in Jonathon Lawrence."

Jonathon could hear the sounds of his dad picking the lock and his words, but he didn't care. 

Morgan stood back, twisting her hands together as she watched. She chewed on her lip.

Jonathon heard the door click. 

Duo put down his tools and pulled the door open.

Jonathon fell back onto the floor until he was staring up at his dad. "Yes?"

Morgan ran in and snatched the bottle away from him. "You baka! What the hell are you trying to pull!"

"Its call drowning myself in my sorrow," Jonathon replied cheekily, sitting up. 

"You…you…" she sputtered angrily. 

Duo wore a blank expression. "Take the bottle back Morgan. I want to talk to Jonathon alone."

Morgan stopped her ranting at Jonathon, who was still wearing a stupid grin. "Oh…ok," she said softly as she stood up, taking the bottle with her. 

Duo closed the door behind her and looked down at his son. "Don't you have any pride whatsoever?"

Jonathon looked up at his father. "No," he said flippantly. 

Duo reached down and pulled him up by his shirt collar, so they were looking at each other in the face. "I'm not going to stand by and let you do this to yourself!"

"Do what?" Jonathon snapped, pulling away from him. 

"You know exactly what I mean Jonathon!"

"Oh you mean drinking myself into oblivion? It looks better then facing that hell outside!"

"Well let me tell you something, I'm not going to stand by and watch you do it! You're letting it get the best of you!"

"Well isn't that too damn bad! Because I hate what I'm feeling! I want it to go away and this is the only way that I can think of to make it stop!"

"It won't make it stop. It'll always come back after the alcohol has worn off. You won't beat it unless you want to," Duo said, keeping his temper in check, although Jonathon was doing a marvelous job at ticking him off. 

"You make it sound so easy dad! But it's not! How can I go out there and face Leigh with her…her…whatever he is to her without feeling like shit!" Jonathon barked his temper high. 

"Because you're Jonathon Maxwell, that's why. You have some pride, don't you! You let it get to you, and you'll never get her back!" Duo said heatedly. 

"WELL IT DOESN'T HELP WHEN SHE HAS A FUCKING BOYFRIEND!"

"WELL SHOUTING ABOUT IT WON'T HELP YOU EITHER AND NEITHER WILL THE DRINKING!"

Jonathon's mouth snapped shut and he slammed his fists into the door as he turned around. "Have you ever felt like this before dad? Like the whole world has fallen out underneath you and you just don't want to fight it anymore. This is killing me dad; my jealousy is killing me. And it hurts so damn much and I don't want to feel it."

"I felt like that when your mother left me before we were married. Before Chris was born. I know how it feels, trust me. There were some days I didn't want to face it anymore because I lost the only person that I loved, who hadn't died on me. It hurt like hell. But I made myself get through it even though it was hard. I practically worked myself to death just to keep myself going, so I wouldn't have the time to think of how much an idiot I had been when I let your mother walk out on me," Duo said in a calmer, more serious tone. "You already knew that of course because your mother and I don't believe in keeping our pasts from you kids, but at the same time, there were deep emotions involved when I didn't feel like I was ready to handle them. I paid that price by missing the first year of Chris's life. Some emotions you have to deal with them. There is no turning back once you feel them and experience them. You have to voice them even though you might not think you're able to."

Jonathon listened to his father's words, his head coming to hand between his outstretched arms. "So you mean I should have come out and told Leigh that I love her?"

"Essentially. But now you won't have it that easy since Ling is now in the picture. I'm sure that man knows nothing about you and Leigh. You'll have to work hard to get her back if you want her. I know it hurts you like hell and you wish you didn't have to feel it. But your mother said to me that love is going to hurt, no matter what you do or say," Duo said gently as he came to stand by Jonathon. "It's just the way that particular emotion seems to work."

"Well it sucks."

Duo chuckled at his response. "She said that too."

Jonathon sighed and let his arms fall to his sides, his head resting on the door. "I made a complete ass of myself didn't I?"

"Not really. Depends on whose perspective."

"But you know Wufei won't like the fact that I'm trying to win Leigh back. He's never approved of me because I wasn't what he wanted for his daughter."

"Let me deal with Wufei. I've cooked his goose so good so many times, it will just make my day seeing him fizzle. You know he set up Ling with Leigh for this purpose. Ling doesn't know it, but Leigh might have figured it out."

"Yeah, she might know what's going on, but she's going along with it," Jonathon said darkly. 

"I think that girl doesn't know what she wants, so she is just going along since it might be her only option."

Jonathon gritted his teeth. 

Duo sighed again and placed his hands on Jonathon's shoulders. "You'll get through it, I promise. Leigh still has feelings for you, I'm sure of it."

Jonathon looked down at the floor. "I guess we should go back out there."

"Yeah, I don't want your mother to worry more then she probably already is," Duo said as he opened the door and started to leave. He looked over his shoulder at him. "Are you coming?"

"In a minute. I need to get myself under control first."

"All right," Duo said as he closed the door.   


Jonathon braced his hands on the closed door. He knew he would need every ounce of pride he had left in him to get through this night. He bowed his head. "Please give me the strength to get though this. I really need to," he said to himself as he took a deep breath and opened the door.

__

A/N: Did you enjoy this installment? Aren't I evil? Stay tuned for more! XOXO!


	7. Dinner From Hell, Part 2

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids __

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 6b

Dinner was set out on the lawn on picnic blankets for the kids, while the parents sat up on the deck at the long table. 

Leigh and Ling were seated at the same blanket as her siblings, along with Carin and Isabella Barton, Mira and Quatrina Winner, and Zach Merquise. Leigh looked over her shoulder towards the other blanket, where Jonathon was sitting with Morgan, and all his siblings around him. She felt a slight twinge of jealousy as Jonathon leaned close to Morgan and whispered something in her ear, causing her to laugh. 

Merin arched a brow at her sister. "Feeling all right tonight Leigh?"

"I'm fine. I couldn't be better," Leigh replied effusively as she faced Merin. 

"I could have sworn you looked upset a little earlier," Merin drawled nonchalantly as she speared her tomato with her fork. 

Jet gave a quelling look towards his older sister. "Merin."

She caught her brother's look and rolled her eyes. "All right, all right, I'll back off." She sighed and looked back over at Leigh, who was trying not to look over at Jonathon and Morgan. "I might back off, but I don't have to like it."

Jonathon's eyes flickered towards Leigh every few minutes. It was almost impossible not to since she was sitting barely ten feet away. He had already felt her eyes on him several times, but when he would glance back, her eyes would skitter away from him. He could swear by the dagger looks that she had been shooting Morgan, that she was jealous. 

"God, your pathetic," Randy said as she poked him in the ribs. "You've been staring at her almost the entire dinner."

"So?"

"Not like she hasn't been staring back," Morgan pointed out as she readjusted her jean-clad legs under her. "She's been shooting me looks that could kill."

"She's jealous. But I don't see why, she's knows that Morgan is only an ex-girlfriend, who he's still friends with," Donavon said, his arm draped over Randy's shoulder. 

"Leigh's jealous of any woman who comes into contact with me, except for the ones related to me," Jonathon said, his eyes going back over to Leigh. He watched as Ling said something to her that made her smile. He gritted his teeth. 

"Jonathon, you're going to bend the fork and mom will have a fit," Chris said mildly from his place in front of Victoria, who was sitting in a chair. "Getting mad won't do you any good."

Jonathon snorted as he took his eyes away from Leigh and Ling. He stood up slowly. "I'm getting dessert. Mom made apple pie and lemon meringue." He took his plate up to the deck, walking inside the house to look for the pies he knew were in the fridge. 

Leigh sighed and leaned back on her hands. She looked over and saw that Jonathon wasn't there. She sighed, almost relieved. She had felt his eyes on her often enough to make her skin tingle. She stood up and picked up her plate. "Anyone want anything more, while I'm up?"

Ling shook his head. "No thank you Leigh. I've eaten quite a lot right now. Hilde is some cook."

"Be grateful, she cooks better then me and my mother," she said, laughing softly as she turned and went up to the deck. She craved something sugary and she knew exactly where she could find it in the Maxwell house. She went into the kitchen, where she saw Jonathon standing in front of the fridge, holding a can of whipped cream in his mouth. "You know that belongs on the pie in front of you."

Jonathon almost dropped the can when he heard her voice. He lowered it, wiping his wrist across his mouth. He flushed guiltily for a moment. "So, I like whipped cream. What's it to you what I do with it?"

"Why can't you grow out of that habit? Aren't you a little old to be eating the cream out of the can?"

"No one is ever too old to eat the cream out of the can, or do I need to refresh your memory?" Jonathon asked, smirking wickedly. 

Leigh flushed hotly at what he was implying. "Does your mind always have to be in the gutter?"

"Do you always have to be uptight?"

"I'm not uptight!"

"Yes, you are."

"I am not!"

"And it makes it all the more fun to tease you and ruffle those feathers of yours."

Leigh scowled at him. 

"But you like it. I think you just make yourself all uptight for me to come and loosen you up. It made everything a lot more fun," he drawled as he approached her. He bent down and looked into her face. "And it turns you on."

Her face flared with more color. "You…you…" she sputtered.

Jonathon snickered softly at her. "Just like you are right now."

She balled up her fist and tried to hit him, but he caught it. "I hate you."

"No, you don't and that's what has you so mad. You know I'm right," he said as he kissed her hard before releasing her. He went back on the other side of the island where his slice of apple pie was. He drenched it liberally with the can of whipped cream, finishing it, before opening another can and using it, until a high mound of fluffy sugar sat on top of the pie. 

Leigh had no time to react when he kissed her. She stood there, motionless for a moment, her lips slightly parted. His kiss had sent a tremor through her, making her toes curl. She could see his smirk as he put more whipped cream on his pie and it made her see red. "You bastard!"

"Never said I wasn't."

"Someone should have beaten the shit out of you."

"I've already had the shit beaten out of me, or haven't you noticed?"

"Well they didn't do a good enough job! Someone should have blacked that other eye of yours!"

"Well it's all your fault that I got into the fight in the first place!"

"How is it my fault!"

"I was a witness to your date with mister perfect out there. You didn't waste anytime, did you Leigh?"

"What was I supposed to do? Sit at home and twiddle my thumbs? I think not. I'm an attractive woman. I can have any man I want!"

"Even proper Ling out there? I bet if he gave you a kiss, you wouldn't feel a thing!"

"Ha! He has kissed me! It felt very nice! So there!" she said smugly, watching his face suffuse with color. 

It was his turn to see red as he imagined Ling kissing Leigh. 

"Nothing like yours. At least he hasn't tried feeling me up at the same time he's kissing me!"

"I never did that!"

"The first time you kissed me, you tried to get your hand under my shirt!"

"I did not! And it was the back of your shirt, not the front!"

"Same as."

"Not like you didn't enjoy it!"

Leigh's mouth snapped shut. "How dare you!"

"I dare because I can! Let me ask you this sweetheart, does Ling know about me?" Jonathon asked acidly. 

"No and he's not going to," she shot back in kind. 

"What? Afraid he might find out what kind of reputation I have and that it might have tainted you?"

Leigh was seething. She wanted to strike him so bad, but she didn't have the heart to hit him again when he was already in bad shape. She wouldn't even secretly admit, even to herself, that she wanted to go over to him and kiss his wounds. "You're reputation leaves a lot to be desired! And I see you have Morgan back."

"Leave her out of this!"

"Why can't you leave the good girls alone and go back to the bad ones that want you?"

Jonathon's eyes narrowed. "Then why did you want me? You insult other girls, you're only insulting yourself since you wanted me as well as they did."

Her eyes flashed brilliantly with barely contained anger. There weren't even anymore words for her to speak. So, she jerkily put her glass and plate in the dishwasher before stalking out, with her head held high. 

Jonathon relaxed his shoulders and let out a deep sigh. He turned and rested his head on the cool fridge. He banged his head against it. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

******************************************************************************

Wufei frowned when he saw his daughter stamping out of the house. He watched her aggressive tread as she made her way back down the steps. He looked down at the lawn, noting that Jonathon's presence was absent. He looked back towards the house and then over at Duo. "Where's that son of yours?"

"Which one?" Duo asked archly, looking over at him. 

"Jonathon."

"In the house. Getting pie," Duo replied in a clipped voice. 

Wufei scowled. "Then he just ticked off my daughter. Does he…"

"Wufei! That's enough!" Sally hissed angrily as she slapped her hand over his mouth. 

Duo smirked evilly at Wufei's disgruntled expression as Sally kept her hand over his mouth. "Better listen to your wife. She's saving me from kicking your sorry ass."

"Are you two going to fight?" Quatre asked, sighing. 

"No, not if he keeps his mouth shut and his comments to himself," Duo answered, leaning back in his chair. 

"Thank Allah it's not my house this time," said a relieved Quatre. "Your kids always tend to fight when they're there."

Duo shrugged. "You're just lucky I guess."

Wufei continued to fume behind Sally's hand as Jonathon finally came out on the deck.

******************************************************************************

Jonathon felt eyes on him. He turned and looked at Wufei, who was sending him a nasty look. He smiled tightly and went back down to the lawn. He sat down next to Morgan. "I'm back."

Morgan turned to look at him. She looked down at the pie. "Geez Jonathon, got enough whipped cream there?"

"So I like whipped cream," Jonathon answered as he swiped some of it off with his finger and dabbed it on the tip of her nose. "And so do you. You and your double fudge sundaes with a ton of whipped cream on top."

She laughed, wiping it off her nose and licking it off her finger. "So I do. Then why didn't you get me one?"

"You didn't ask."

"You!" she laughed again, pushing his shoulder lightly with her hands. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh's eyes narrowed even more at Morgan as her and Jonathon teased each other some more. It was infuriating. He was infuriating. And she loved him all the more for it. "Damn you Maxwell," she said to herself as she tried to pay attention to Ling, who was talking avidly with Thad Merquise about architecture. 

******************************************************************************

"You know the more she fights it, the more mad she gets," Merin whispered to Jet.

"She's in denial that's why. And she's mad at dad too, for inviting Ling," Jet whispered back. 

"You wonder why?"

"Dad wanted to lord it over Jonathon that Leigh had found someone better, which you and I know isn't true."

"Dad just doesn't like the fact that Leigh fell in love with a Maxwell," Merin said, making a face. 

"I couldn't agree more. We all heard dad say that he wouldn't let any of his kids marry a Maxwell. He said it was bad enough that a Maxwell was marrying a Yuy at Chris's and Victoria's wedding," Jet agreed. 

"Yeah, the child of the "Perfect Soldier" with the child of the "God of Death." One side, suicidal, the other side, maniacal," she drawled. 

"He over dramatizes it. And what did Jonathon call Leigh one time?"

"A justice touting Chang."

"See, like we're any better," Jet said as he pushed back his sandy brown hair. He looked over at his oldest sister again. "A justice touting Chang and a maniacal Maxwell are a perfect combo. They'll keep each other sane by driving the other one insane."

******************************************************************************

Leigh heard Morgan's laughter sound again. She forced herself not to look up, but at the same time, it was in involuntary action. Her eyes went to Morgan and Jonathon. He was teasing Morgan, by trying to dab some whipped cream on her nose. Her teeth ground together. She wanted to strangle the petite brunette that was capturing his attention and then kill him. _"But he's not even yours anymore, right? You either go back to him or you don't?" _

"Leigh?" Ling asked as he turned and looked at her. He had a suspicion that something was wrong with her and she wasn't telling him. He respected that since he didn't know her well enough for her to become that comfortable with him. He saw her glare over at the other group, but he didn't know whom she was sending the nasty look to. 

"Yes?" she replied guiltily, returning her attention back to Ling. 

"Are you all right? You seem a little preoccupied there," he said as he rubbed her hand with his.

"It's nothing, really. I was just thinking about something, that's all," Leigh said, reassuringly as she smiled at him. "Are you having a nice time here so far?"

"Yes. Your friends are very nice and the dinner that Hilde made is the best home cooked meal I ever had, besides my own mother. But I won't tell her that," Ling said, laughing softly.

"Just a warning though. My mom cannot cook for the life of her. My dad cooks better then her. So just be careful what you eat at my house, especially if my mom cooked it."

"I'll keep that in mind. And how about you, can you cook?"

"Unfortunately no. I don't cook much better then my mother. The best cooks among us kids are Randy, my brother, Donavon, Mira, Isabella, and Kellie. The others can cook, just not as good as those few."

"I take it that Merin's cooking isn't much better then yours?"

"Her cooking is even worse then mine," Leigh said, smirking at her sister, who was now scowling at her. 

Ling chuckled and hugged Leigh tight for one moment. 

She returned it. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon's eyes darted over towards Leigh and Ling. His lips twitched. 

Morgan sighed. For the most part he acted like he was ignoring Leigh and Ling over at the other blanket, but she could tell when his eyes would be drawn over there. And she knew that Leigh was looking back with unmistakable jealousy in her eyes. "You know, she's been looking at you when you're not looking at her," she said nudging his shoulder. 

His eyes went to hers. "Is that so?"

"You know why she's looking over here? She's making sure I keep my hands off of you. She's jealous as hell."

"When was Leigh not jealous? She's always like that. She thinks every girl wants me."

"They do," Randy interjected dryly. "There wasn't a day that wouldn't go by that you had some girl calling you."

"It wasn't all me. Chris and David had their share of the calls too," Jonathon pointed out. 

"If it wasn't you, it was one of them. Good Lord, they thought the three of you were the epitome of what a hottie is supposed to look like," Randy drawled, rolling her eyes. "It was embarrassing when we were at Saint Augustines because all these girls would come up to me and ask me about the three of you."

"So, it's not like you didn't have the male population cornered," Jonathon threw back teasingly. 

"I did and I didn't. Veronica and Carin considered it a competition on who could get the most guys. I had them beat in athletics and intellect. They had to beat me somewhere. And dad almost wanted to change our number so guys couldn't call me," she said, laughing. 

Jonathon chuckled. "I remember that all too well. But now that you have Donavon, he won't watch you as closely."

"Yeah right, you think dad is going to give up protecting me because I have Donavon? Not in this lifetime," Randy snorted. 

"Yeah, but I'm not my brother," Donavon said, entering the conversation. He pressed a kiss on Randy's cheek as he sat back down behind her with two slices of apple pie with the homemade ice cream and whipped cream. 

"Be grateful for that. At least you won't have my dad breathing down your neck like he did your brother at every waking moment," Jonathon said as he scraped his plate with the back of his fork, picking up the excess whipped cream. 

"Did Wufei do that when you dated Leigh?" Donavon asked curiously. 

"He tried, but I was much better in getting around him. It made him fizzle more rather then breath down my neck," he said as he licked the fork. Leigh's laughter rang though the air. His eyes went to her as she leaned in close to Ling. He wanted to strangle her for baiting him like she was. And yet he wanted to go over there, yank her to her feet and kiss her forever. It made him grit his teeth when he saw Ling press a kiss on her cheek. He was sorry for being a little nasty to her in the kitchen earlier, but she had been the instigator that time. She brought out the best and the worst in him, like he did in her. That's how he knew he loved her and he would do anything to get her back so he could tell her. 

__

A/N: Another installment finished at last! Ready for more? Stay tuned! XOXO!


	8. Midnight Apology Turned Tryst

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids __

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 7

Leigh sat on the edge of her bed, staring out her window. It was a little past midnight, Monday morning now after the Sunday dinner from hell at the Maxwells. She was furious at her dad for putting her on the spot like that. She didn't like the way he was rubbing Jonathon's nose in the dirt by having her bring Ling along. And she knew he was using it to bait Duo. Her toes curled in the dark green rug under her feet. "Maybe I should apologize to him for that?" she asked herself as she got up and started pacing the room. "I should tell him it wasn't my intention to bring Ling and make him mad." The shoulder of her white v-neck shirt slid off as she paced back and forth. She stopped for a moment and thought of the way that Jonathon had looked at her when she had first introduced Ling to him. He looked mad as hell at her. She shivered a little at the flashback. She didn't want him to look at her that way and with her jaw set, she decided on what she should do. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon braced his hands against the tile of his shower as the hot water beat down on his head. It had been a tense evening. His dad looked like he could cheerfully kill Wufei at any moment. And Wufei had been acting all smug since Ling was there with Leigh. He knew very well what Wufei was trying to pull. He was making sure that he wouldn't be able to get her back by throwing Ling into his path. "Cunning bastard. Does he really think that'll stop me?" he asked himself as he closed his eyes briefly, letting the water slide over his face. "No, that won't stop me. I'm a Maxwell. But Leigh seems to be taking to Ling and that's a problem. How to eliminate the competition without being noticed?"

******************************************************************************

Leigh drove her car out to the Maxwell house, turning off her lights as she pulled into the driveway. She rubbed her palms on her threadbare jeans she was wearing, having only pulled them on; before pushing her feet into flip flops and climbing out her window. She went around to the back of the house where Jonathon's room was. She was grateful that all the lights were out in the house. She jumped up and grabbed onto the tree branch over her head, slowly pulling herself up. It took her a moment to do so since she lacked the upper body strength and the height to make it easier. "Come on Leigh," she said to herself as she started climbing up the tree. She could feel the smoothness of the bark under her hands, telling her that the tree was well used to the climbing. She finally made it to his room, where she noted that his light was still on. "Good. I didn't make that climb all for nothing," she breathed as she leaned forwards and pushed herself through the open window. "Ouch," she muttered as she landed on the floor with a light thud. She stood up and looked around. His room was a slight mess, clothes on the chair and the floor, and the unmade bed. Rock music sounded from his stereo. She looked at the books it the built in bookshelves. Every time she looked at it, she was impressed with his collection of books. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon got out the shower, pulling the dark blue towel around his waist. His bangs dripped as they hung over his face. He shook his head a little, sending water flying in all directions. Steam clouded the mirror. He wiped it with his hand so he could see his reflection. He sighed when he carefully examined his eye and his stitches. "I hate black eyes. You can never see out of them until the swelling goes down more." He pulled open the door to his room.

******************************************************************************

Leigh heard a noise behind her and she turned around quickly. Her mouth rounded in a small O as she saw Jonathon, standing there in only a towel clinging to his hips. _"Damn, he looks good!"_

Leigh standing over by the open window brought Jonathon up short. He was shocked. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She snapped her mouth shut. "I wanted to talk to you," she replied, trying to concentrate on something else besides him in the towel, but it was very hard since acres of his tanned skin were in plain sight. 

"About what?" he asked, as he tilted his head to one side.

"About…God, will you put clothes on! I can't talk to you when you're wearing just a towel!"

Jonathon smirked at her flushing face. "Why? You were the one who came in her in the middle of the night."

Leigh glared at him. "I'll ask you again, will you please put clothes on?"

He continued to smirk. "Wait a minute," he replied as he went over to the bureau and pulled out a pair of boxers. "Are you going to turn around?"

She shot him another dirty look and turned her back. She crossed her arms over her chest, muttering under her breath at the same time that her imagination was going wild. "Are you finished?"

"Yes," he said as he tossed the towel over the bathroom door and moved closer to her. 

Leigh turned around again and nearly took a step back because he had moved closer to her. She kept her arms crossed over her chest. "I wanted to apologize."

"For what?"

"For what happened earlier."

"You mean the entire dinner?"

"Yes."

"It's pointless to cross your arms Leigh, I know you're not wearing a bra."

Her face flamed with color and she took a reflexive step back. 

"So are you going to apologize?"

"That remark wasn't necessary."

"Then why are your arms still crossed. I would have noticed anyway."

"Sexist."

"You said it, I didn't," he said calmly, smiling slightly at her. 

"Oh why did I bother!" she said with exasperation as she dropped her arms. She turned on her heel only to be brought up short as he grabbed a hold of the waistband of her jeans. "Let go!" she hissed at him. 

"Why? I want to hear this apology," Jonathon said as he pulled her back to him. He walked back and sat down on the edge of his bed, dragging her down on his lap. "Now, you can start apologizing."

Leigh was fuming, but she couldn't move since his arms were linked securely around her waist. She could feel his breath brushing against the back of her neck, inadvertently sending chills down her arms. "I'm sorry for what my dad did. He had no right to ask Ling to come."

"Oh so, that's it. You're apologizing for your dad's actions. Why? Didn't want to show Ling off to the rest of us?" he drawled. 

"No, I didn't want…I didn't want for you to think I was using him to get back at you."

"And you weren't?" he asked skeptically. 

"No! I wasn't! I'm not that cruel Jonathon. You really think I would rub some other guy in your face?"

"Yes and no. You do have a mean streak."

Her mouth fell open and she looked at him over her shoulder. "I do not!"

"You do, but in this case, I would say you weren't trying to. You don't like to get back at me that way. You like to sling insults at me instead."

Her mouth fell open in angry surprise. "I don't have to listen to this!" she snapped as she tried to squirm off his lap. 

"You know that's not a good idea," Jonathon said dryly, not letting go. His eyes met hers, his brows arching. 

Leigh stopped moving, knowing exactly what he meant. Her face suffused with more color again. "That was crude."

"You were the one who moved. I can't help my reaction to you."

"I'm finished apologizing. Can you let go now?"

"Is that all you're apologizing for? There was our argument in the kitchen."

"I'm sorry for that too. I took my anger at my dad out on you."

"I don't think you were so mad at your dad. I think you were jealous."

"I wasn't anything of the sort," she sniffed as she thrust her chin up. 

"That's bull, Leigh. You were probably mentally throttling Morgan. You even sounded jealous of her when you mentioned her when you were yelling at me."

"Why would I be jealous of Morgan? That's ridiculous," she snorted, turning to face him. 

"Is it?"

"Morgan's an ex girlfriend as am I. I have no control over who you want to see. So I wasn't jealous."

He studied her for a moment. "You were. You're lying."

"I wasn't jealous! Will you stop insisting that I…"

His lips cut her off in mid sentence. 

For a moment, she was startled, her eyes flying open, but then they gradually began to drift closed. Warmth began stealing through her body, making her arms feel heavy. She wanted to push away, but she found herself not really wanting to. 

He nibbled on her lower lip, trying to persuade her to open her mouth. His hands slid under the hem of her shirt, lightly caressing the skin above the waistband of her jeans. 

Leigh was already too weak to resist as his fingers pressed against her skin. She parted her lips, letting his tongue gain entrance. Her arms came up and looped around his neck, holding him tight. 

He turned slightly, his hand coming up to the middle of her back, supporting her as he lowered her to the bed. His tongue stroked hers. 

Her fingers toyed with the damp hair on the nape of his neck as she kissed him back. She didn't mind his familiar weight settling on top of her. 

Jonathon left her mouth and his lips trailed across her cheek to her ear. He knew her ears were the surest way to get the strongest reaction from her. He kissed the lobe before gently sucking on it. 

Leigh gasped. Her eyes shot open as thrilling sensation shot from her ear through the rest of her body. She felt his tongue tracing her ear. Her eyes closed again as the feelings continued to course through her, making her shiver. 

His fingers slowly began pushing up her shirt, revealing her skin inch by inch. He nuzzled the side of her neck with his lips, pressing tiny kisses down to her shoulder. 

Her insides were rioting. Her heart was pounding hard against her ribs. He was the only guy that made her feel like this, even when she had dated others. They didn't make her feel so alive inside. Her fingers traced the back of his neck to his shoulders, her nails lightly scraping along his skin.

The feeling of her nails made his skin tingle. He had succeeded in pushing her shirt off her shoulder with his nose and he was gently sucking on her skin. He could smell the jasmine she always seemed to smell like. The heady floral scent seemed to fit her perfectly. His hands came to rest under her breasts since he had pushed the thin cotton up to reveal her stomach. 

Leigh ran her hands down his back to his waist, feeling the contours of his muscle under his skin. She could feel his hot breath against the crook of her neck and his hands resting on her ribs, as his thumbs began to stroke the under curves of her breasts. She slid down and found his mouth with hers, kissing him hard.

Jonathon's breath came out in a rush as she crushed her lips against his. His hands, pushing the shirt up higher, and with the briefest break between their lips, pulled her shirt off and tossed it to the floor. His mouth found hers again, their tongues sliding over each other, twining. 

She shifted her body under his a little until he was laying between her jean clad thighs. Her knees pressed against his hips. 

He gathered her securely under him, being mindful of her slight frame. He nipped her chin and went lower, his lips not missing an inch of her throat. She intoxicated him as always. When he was with her he never had to drink, he could get drunk off of her. 

She kneaded his shoulders as he moved lower. Each touch of his lips sent trills of electricity through her body. She arched her body as his lips found their way between her breasts. 

His tongue traced patterns across her skin while his one hand came up and skimmed over her breasts, barely touching her pert nipples. He captured one in his mouth and drew it deep into his mouth. 

A sigh escaped her lips. 

The other hand rubbed over her silky skin, sliding over the curve of her tiny waist to her equally slender hips. He could feel her heart pounding against his lips. He moved his lips to the other breast, taking in the tight bead of flesh. His tongue laved it, the sweetness of her skin making him feel lightheaded. He moved lower still, his mouth over her navel, his tongue delving inside, making her jump. 

She squirmed under this assault. It was making her insides quiver. Her hands squeezed the taunt muscles of his back. 

Jonathon deftly began to undo the buttons of her threadbare jeans. He had them undone in record time and they landed in a heap on the floor beside the bed. She was left in dark green cotton bikinis. His fingers toyed with the elastic that rode her hipbone as his lips came back up to hers. 

Leigh moved her legs restlessly against his. She could feel his erection pressing meaningfully between her spread thighs. Her hips moved involuntarily, making him growl against her mouth. 

He wanted her. She was the only one that he ever wanted more then anything. The only woman he took to bed that he loved. He felt her move again, sliding teasingly against him. He wanted to be inside her, feeling her surround him, and calling out his name. And he knew she wanted him too. 

She moved again, hearing him growl deep in his throat. She felt his fingers slide off her hipbone, moving inwards under her panties. She felt him shift slightly and his hand found its way between her thighs, his fingers moving against her hot wet flesh. Her breath caught in her throat as he stroked and his fingers slipping inside her. She whimpered. 

He felt her closing around his two fingers as he carefully thrust them inside of her. He could feel her whimpers against his lips. 

Her hands clasped his hips and began tugging impatiently at the waistband of his boxers. She didn't want to climax without him not being completely inside her. 

Jonathon felt her impatience and readily complied with what she wanted. His striped black boxers were tossed to the floor and her panties followed them. His thumb rubbed across the sensitive kernel of flesh between her thighs at the same time his tongue was moving over the tip of hers. 

Leigh felt all the sensations come in a rush as she arched against his hand at the same time she felt him thrust inside of her. A choked gasp broke past her lips. Her eyes flew open to meet his. 

He felt her tighten around him. His eyes found hers, their lips now barely touching. His other hand came up and brushed back her hair away from her face. His fingers caressing her cheek and jaw. 

Her eyes watched his. She could see the heat in them, but she could see the tenderness in them as well. 

The light in his room cast her skin in a golden light. His nose rubbed against hers; his eyes still locked on hers. He gently thrust inside her again, making her whimper again. He could stay this way forever with her if he wanted to. 

Leigh's nails clutched his back, her knees tightening against his hips with each stroke. She wrapped her legs around him, her ankles locking him into place. She felt an avalanche course through her as all the feelings and sensations came to a head. "Jonathon, I love you" she sighed softly, her nails digging into his resilient flesh. 

Jonathon watched her lips as she said those words. She had never been loud. She would always whisper his name when she came and he liked it much better. He liked the breathy whimpers that she would issue from her parted lips. He felt the sharp pain of her nails for an instant, as he finally couldn't take anymore, burying himself inside of her. "Leigh," he groaned as he pressed his face against her neck. 

Her eyes gradually closed when she heard him say her name. She pressed her lips against his still damp hair. 

His breath came out raggedly against her neck. He blinked his eyes rapidly as he finally lifted his head up to look down at her. Her eyes weren't completely closed and he could see the ice blue shining through her lush black lashes. His heart melted a little at that look. He pressed a chaste kiss on her lips as her eyes drifted completely closed. 

She couldn't keep her eyes open anymore and the last thing she saw was the intense emotion reflected in the cobalt orbs above her. Her arms slipped lifelessly to his sides. 

Jonathon smiled, pressing another kiss on her lips as she fell asleep. He moved off of her, tucking her delicate body against his. He pulled the crisp light blue sheets up over them. He found the remote for his stereo, turning it off. He felt her breath tickle his neck as she slept. He rubbed his hand over her back, feeling each vertebra. She was a China doll, ethereal, fragile, and lovely. And he loved her. "I love you Leigh," he whispered as sleep finally claimed him at last. 

******************************************************************************

Thunder rolled causing Jonathon to wake up. He cast a look towards the open window, noting the rain falling outside. He looked over at the inky hair spilling across his other pillow. Her hands were folded neatly under her cheek. She was lying on her stomach, the sheet now around her waist, exposing her naked back. His lips tilted up in a slight smile. The thunder made the windows rattle again. He sat up and groped the end of his bed for the blanket at the end of it. He stood up and wrapped it about his hips, stepping over the discarded clothes on the floor. He shut the window, watching the rain come to splatter against it once he did. He went over to his door and locked it. He wasn't going to take any chances. He went back over to the bed, glancing at the clock. It was five. The gray light flooded the room. He crawled beneath the covers of the bed again, moving closer to Leigh. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked at her. Her pink lips were parted slightly and her nose twitched a little before becoming motionless again. Strands of her hair fell across her cheek. He moved to push them back behind her ear, his fingers trailing across the satiny skin of her cheek with finesse. Her lashes lay like fans on her flawless golden skin. He smiled as she whimpered in her sleep. He moved closer to her, drawing her close to him. She cuddled against him as his arm secured her against him once again. He pressed a kiss on her forehead before closing his eyes and going back to sleep. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh moved herself against the inviting warmth. She never wanted to leave it except thunder made her eyes flutter open. She blinked her vision into focus and she found the source of her "warmth." Her mouth opened with a soundless gasp as she saw the unmarked side of his face. She felt his leg slide against hers under the sheet and his arm across her back. She leaned her head up a little and looked at the clock. It was a little past seven. She moved carefully from under his arm, not wanting to wake him. She felt her skin prickle as it brushed against his. Miraculously she made her way from under the sheet, grasping the blanket from the end of the bed. She wrapped it around her as she searched for her clothes. "I'm an idiot," she hissed at herself. She also called herself several other names in Chinese as she found her shirt and pulled it on. She found her panties as well, sliding them up her legs. She looked over her shoulder as she hurriedly pulled on her jeans and pushed her feet back into her flip-flops. "I can't believe I did that last night. You are so stupid Leigh," she muttered at herself as she quietly tip toed across the carpeted floor. She could hear the rain overhead, making her mood even blacker. Her hand touched the knob until she heard his voice. 

"Going somewhere?" Jonathon asked as he leaned up as he saw Leigh with her hand on the knob. The sheet felt down around his waist. 

She flinched guiltily, her hand stilling on the door. She looked over her shoulder again and then she wished she hadn't. Even with his bruised eye and the stitches, he was as handsome as ever. Especially when his hair was tousled from sleep and the sheet exposing his tanned skin stretched over taunt muscles. She felt a little weak kneed as she thought about what she did the night before. 

"Are you going somewhere?" he repeated, noting her guilt-ridden expression. 

She didn't answer and wasted no time in unlocking the door and bolting out into the hall, slamming the door behind her.

"Dammit Leigh," he mumbled under his breath as he yanked on his boxers and a shirt, and threw open his door, slamming it behind him as well. He ran down the steps after her. "Leigh, come back here!"

Leigh ran even though she could hear him calling her name. She unbolted the front door, pulling it open as well. She skidded to a halt on the edge of the porch. The rain was falling in sheets across the drive. "Dammit." She looked over her shoulder again and ran out into the rain towards her car, parked under the branches of the oak tree in the middle of the circular driveway. The rain felt cold against her skin. 

Jonathon ran out onto the porch, watching her run across the drive to her car, and trying to dodge puddles. "Leigh come back here!" he yelled again as he ran out into the rain, his bare feet slapping against the smooth wet concrete. He didn't notice that the entire door slamming had woken up his parents and his siblings. 

She abruptly closed the car door behind her, jamming the key into the ignition, and jerking the car into gear. Her hair hung in limp cords around her face as she floored it. Her tires squealed on the concrete before she tore down the driveway. 

Jonathon came to a quick halt, the rain soaking through his shirt. He stood there for a moment as the taillights of her car disappeared down the driveway and out into the street. Rain pelted his face, sliding down over his cheeks, to drip off his chin. 

******************************************************************************

Duo halted. He had arrived in time to see Leigh's car peal out of the driveway. He looked over at Jonathon, still standing there, unmoving. He felt Hilde come up behind him, her arms slipping about his waist. He absently covered her hand with his own. 

Randy's eyes bounced between Leigh's disappearing car and her older brother. She felt David's hand come to rest on her shoulder. She looked back at him. 

David flashed her a worried smile. He could see that she was worried too. He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. His eyes went back to his brother still standing in the pouring rain. 

Hilde closed her eyes as she leaned against Duo's back. She could feel his concern for Jonathon. "I'll get him a towel," she said faintly as she moved and went back inside the house. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon didn't blink as he turned on his heel and went back to the house. He was impervious to the cold rain. He went up the steps and stood on the porch. He felt the eyes of his sister and brother on him. He didn't flinch when he felt his dad's hand on his shoulder. "I don't want to talk about it," he said stonily. 

"I understand," Duo said quietly, lightly pushing his son towards the door. 

Hilde came back down the steps as the front door closed once again. She moved towards Jonathon and handed him the towel. 

He took it from her and ran it over his face and hair. He saw the worry in her eyes again as he handed her the towel. He swiftly moved towards the kitchen and down into the basement where he swung at the punching bag. 

Hilde looked towards Duo again. "Duo, what do we do?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly. 

"There isn't anything we can do now. This has to work itself out on it's own and we can't interfere. He has to do this alone," Duo replied, placing his hands on her shoulders. 

Hilde looked over at him.

"Trust me," he whispered, kissing the tip of her nose. 

"I'll start breakfast," Randy said in a subdued tone as she walked towards the kitchen. 

"I'll help," David said, following his sister. 

Hilde bowed her head as she turned against Duo, pressing her forehead against his chest. "I'm worried."

He rubbed his hands over her back in a comforting manner. "I know you are. And so am I, but like I said, we can't do anything. Jonathon has to do this alone."

"I wish there was something that we could do," she said softly, her arms wrapping around him. 

"I know, so do I," Duo replied, kissing the top of her hair, staring in the direction of the basement. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon plowed his fist into the sand filled bag. It was swinging wildly from previous punches. Deep seated hurt and anger fueled each punch. Then his fist thrust through the material, spilling the sand out onto the cool floor. He turned to the wall and with enough force, slammed his knuckles against the cinder blocks, cracking the block and his fist. "DAMMIT!" he shouted as he fell against the wall. He slumped to the floor and cradled his head between his hands and cried all over again. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh screeched down her street and into her driveway. She ran across the front lawn and let herself in through the back door. Her flip flops made sucking noises on the linoleum floor. Water dripped from her hair and down her face as she silently made her way up the steps to her room. She shut the door behind her and fell against with a dull thud. Her hands came up and covered her face. "Oh God, what have I done?" she whispered as she slid down to the floor, crying silent hot tears. 

__

A/N: I'm getting to be very cruel, aren't I? I bet I had you all thinking that they would get back together after this? Oh no, this is a lot more complicated and I have a lot more in store for them! Stay tuned for more! XOXO!


	9. Birthday Surprise?

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids __

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 8

"Three weeks," Jonathon said as he counted his fingers. It was Saturday morning. "Three weeks since she walked out on me. A week in between when we first got back from Arabia and that Sunday dinner from hell. Two weeks in Arabia, she barely talked to me. A week before that she dumped me. All in all, that's a total of…" his speech was cut off when his alarm clock began clanging. He picked it up, turned it off and dropped it on the floor. It sounded with a dull thud on the carpet. "Now, where was I…that's a total of seven weeks? Forty nine days," he sighed as he lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He rubbed his temples with his index fingers and sat up. "And for those three weeks she has meticulously avoided me and spent time with Ling or so Merin says." He swung his legs over the side of his bed and ran his hand over his face, his black eye and stitches gone. He wasn't quite sure on why she walked out on him that morning. In hindsight, he knew it had been a mistake to make love to her. It was definitely the wrong time and now she was avoiding him. She hadn't been to a Sunday dinner in three weeks. "Hell," he muttered as he stood, making his way to the bathroom to splash water on his face. He made his way downstairs to the kitchen. He saw his mother at the stove making pancakes. "Morning mom," he said as he went over and pressed a kiss on her cheek.

"Morning darling," Hilde said as she smiled up at her son. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, fine," he replied as he opened the fridge. He could see his dad sitting out on the deck, reading the paper. "Is that all we're having for breakfast?"

"I'm making eggs too. What do you want to drink?" she asked as she placed the last pancake on the stack. 

"Don't worry, I just want orange juice," Jonathon said as he grabbed the carton out of the fridge and a glass from the cabinet over the stove. 

"There's muffins out on the deck. Make sure that your father didn't eat them all," Hilde said as she began cracking eggs over another pan. 

"Morning mom," Randy said as she came into the kitchen. She pressed a kiss on her mother's other cheek. "Morning Jonathon, happy birthday," she said, glancing over in his direction. "You want me to take anything out?"

"Could you get the pancakes dear," Hilde said as she stirred in some salt and pepper in the mixture on the stove. "And make sure that the butter is out there. I made blueberry muffins last night. Your brother's favorite," she said as she smiled over at Jonathon. "Since today is his birthday."

"Thanks mom," Jonathon said gratefully as he went out on the deck and sat down at the table. "Morning dad."

"Morning. Happy birthday," Duo said as he looked up from the paper. "How old are you this time?"

"Twenty-three," Jonathon replied as he took a sip of his orange juice and moved the basket of muffins out of his dad's reach. 

Duo frowned when he saw that Jonathon moved the muffins. "Twenty-three already? God, this makes me feel old."

"You're not that old dad. Just up there in age," Jonathon joked as he plucked a muffin from the basket and put it on his plate. 

"Morning daddy," Randy said as she came outside with the pancakes and the syrup. She pressed a kiss on his cheek.

"Morning sweetheart," he said as he took the syrup from her hand. "Need help with the pancakes?"

"No. Mom told me to make sure that you didn't start eating until we were all here," Randy replied, grinning. She looked over the table. "Darn, there's no butter," she said as she turned on her heel and went back inside the house. 

"Morning all," David said as he came out on the deck. His chocolate hair mused from his hands raking through it. He plopped down in the chair across from his brother. "Happy birthday bro."

"Thanks, but your birthday will be coming up soon too. Just don't say how old you're going to be. I already made dad feel old," Jonathon said smirking. 

"I'll be twenty two," David answered as he gave his dad a sidelong smirk. 

"Man, you guys are getting old," Duo mumbled as he started reading the paper again. 

"Breakfast is ready," Hilde said as she came back out on the deck with a platter of eggs, followed by Randy with the butter. She sat down at the other end of the table. 

"Oh good," Duo said as he put down the paper. 

"Hello all," Chris said as he opened the back gate, letting Victoria and Alex through. He bounded up the steps. "Happy birthday bro," he said as he clapped his hand on Jonathon's shoulder, "Getting up there in age?"

"Like you should talk," Jonathon teased. "You'll be twenty five in a few months."

"You're getting old Chris," Victoria smirked as she pressed a kiss on Jonathon's cheek. "Happy birthday."

"I'm not or else I could say the same about you babe. You just turned twenty four two weeks ago," Chris replied as he took their daughter from his wife and put her in the high chair between his dad's chair and his chair. He pulled out her chair next to him.

"Watch it mister," Victoria warned lightly as she gave her husband a slight smile ridden with hidden meaning. 

Chris flushed slightly making the other's at the table laugh. 

"Well come on, let's eat before it gets cold," Jonathon said as he placed several pancakes on his plate. He thought of Leigh. Her favorite breakfast was pancakes. 

******************************************************************************

At the Chang household however, the quiet morning was just about to be broken. 

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Leigh threw her door open, making it slam against the wall. She ran down the steps in her yellow striped pajama bottoms and matching tank top and into the front hall, grabbing her keys off the hall table. 

"What the hell is going on?" Wufei demanded as he opened his door. He saw Merin and Jet come out of their rooms. "Who was screaming?"

"It was Leigh, I don't know why," Merin said as she heard the front door open. "But I think she's leaving the house."

"Damn," Wufei muttered under his breath. "I'll go see what she's up to," he said as he pounded down the stairs after her. He got outside just in time to see his daughter's Camry peel out of the driveway and head down the street at a furious pace. "Leigh!" He threw his hands up in the air and went back inside to grab his keys. He started his Expedition and followed his daughter's speeding car. "She picked up some bad habits off of that Maxwell. Driving fast is one of them."  
******************************************************************************

Leigh took the turn for Cliff View Road fast, making the tires screech against the asphalt. Her hands were clenching the wheel, making her knuckles white. She fishtailed into the Maxwell's driveway. 

Wufei saw her make a turn into the Maxwell's driveway. "Why would she be so eager to get there this morning?" he asked himself as he followed. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon's fork was halfway up to his mouth when he heard the squeal of tires. He looked up and saw Leigh's champagne colored Camry come to a fast halt on the other side of the gate next to Victoria's black Impala. His forehead furrowed a little as she got out of the car. And she looked mad as hell as she opened the gate and pounded up the deck steps. "This is a surprise," he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Leigh slapped him hard. "I hate you!"

He looked at her with shock as he held his burning cheek. "What the hell was that for!"  


"What was it for? I ought to kill you!" she hissed at him, drawing her hand back again. 

Jonathon caught her hand this time before it made contact with his face. "What is the hell is with you Leigh?" he snapped as he caught her other hand as well. 

"What's with me? I tell you what's with me buster! I think I'm pregnant!"

His jaw fell open with surprise. 

******************************************************************************

Wufei, who had just come around the back of the house, heard his daughter's loud statement. He walked up to the deck, his mouth slightly parted in surprise. 

Duo noticed Wufei's arrival and mentally cursed. He was still staring at Leigh and Jonathon. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh took Jonathon's moment of inattention to ball up her fist and bury it in his midsection. "This is all your fault!" she yelled at him. 

Jonathon doubled over from it. He wrapped his arms around his stomach. "How is it my fault?"

His question only infuriated her further. "Because it is your fault, you baka!"

Wufei's eyes bounced between Leigh and Jonathon. "Pregnant? By who?"

"That's what I would like to know," Jonathon mumbled as he looked up at her. Her fist had hurt.

"By you!" she yelled at him again.

He went slack jawed again for a moment. "By me? What about Ling?"

"I haven't slept with Ling! I slept with you three weeks ago!"

All eyes went to Jonathon, who flinched guiltily. 

"Oh you didn't?" asked Randy as she looked between them. 

"Shut up Randy," they both shouted at her. 

"Oh dear," said Hilde as she looked over at Duo. 

"You mean to tell me, that you think you're pregnant with my kid?" Jonathon asked as he looked back at Leigh. "I thought you were on birth control!"

"I am! But it doesn't mean it works one hundred percent of the time you dumbass! You were the one who didn't use protection!"  


Jonathon's face flooded with color. "Do we have to air this in front of everybody?"

Wufei's eyes narrowed at Jonathon. "What have you been doing with my daughter Maxwell?"

"Nothing. Except for three weeks ago," Jonathon replied sulkily, glancing over at Wufei. 

"You mean to tell me, that you've slept with my daughter before?"

Leigh and Jonathon cringed slightly. 

"You little…" he started to say, taking several steps forwards, but was halted by Duo. "Get out of my way!"

"Not a chance in hell," Duo stated firmly, crossing his arms. "You won't be getting your hands on my son."

"If it was your daughter, you would feel the same way," Wufei growled as he tried to push past him. 

"Maybe I would, but I probably would be stopped by that kid's father who didn't want a dead son," Duo gritted out. "So step back Wufei and let them deal with it."

Wufei took a step back and glared at Duo. "I don't have to do anything." He started forwards again, only to be punched in the eye. He stumbled back, holding his hand over his eye. "What the hell was that for?"

"I told you to step back baka," Duo said, shaking his head. "Babe, go get some ice for Wuffie's eye," he called over his shoulder. He looked over at his son. "And what did I tell you? Use protection for God's sake!"

"It was spur of the moment," Jonathon mumbled. 

"Spur of the moment my ass!" Leigh yelled at him. 

"You were the one who came in my room in the middle of the night to apologize!" he yelled back. 

"You were the one with his mind in the gutter!"

"You were the one staring!"

"I was not!"

"You were so!"  


"You took deliberate advantage!"

"You weren't saying no sweetheart! I don't think that was taking advantage!"

"You kissed me first!" Her face was getting red.

"You didn't have to kiss me back onna!" His eyes narrowing slightly. 

"I…I wasn't!"

"You were! If you wanted me to stop then you should have said so!"

"I hate you!"

"You said that not to long ago! If you really hated me you wouldn't have ended up in bed with me!"  


"You insufferable, pig-headed…" Leigh fumed, too angry to continue. 

"You didn't find me insufferable three weeks ago!" Jonathon hissed, glaring at her. 

"But this is all your fault!" 

"This is not all my fault! You shouldn't have come in my room in the first place! Especially when you weren't wearing a bra!"

Leigh's face flamed with even more color. 

"And further more, you were the one who walked out on me that morning, remember?"

"It was a mistake that's why!"

"Oh so now I was a mistake!"

She stamped her foot furiously on the wood deck. Her hands balled up into fists. She opened her mouth to yell at him again.

"ENOUGH!" Duo yelled at the top of his lungs. "Will you two stop shouting at each other! Both of you are to blame for this! Not one or the other! So I suggest that, you, Leigh, go to the doctor and make sure if you're pregnant or not. And you mister, will go with her since it might very well be your kid!"

Jonathon scowled and crossed his arms. His eyes went back to Leigh, who was still glaring at him. "Fine," he replied tightly. 

"Fine," Leigh answered curtly as she gave Jonathon her back. 

******************************************************************************

"I think this was the most entertaining breakfast I ever had," Chris said with wide eyes. 

"Shut up," Victoria hissed at him as she smacked his arm with her hand. "This isn't the time."

Chris snorted. "Yeah, yeah, I know." 

Later that afternoon…

Jonathon slumped down in the chair, his arms crossed defensively. "What a thing to happen on my birthday," he muttered under his breath. 

"Well it wouldn't have happened if you were such a hentai," Leigh hissed back as she sat in the chair next to him. 

"Stop it, the both of you," Hilde and Sally said in unison as they sat on either side of their children in the doctor's office. They were both absently flipping through magazines.

Jonathon hunched down in his chair even more. He was the only guy in the room filled with women. A lock of his hair fell on his forehead. He pushed it back with an impatient hand before closing his eyes, trying to block out his surroundings.

Leigh turned her nose up at him, but she couldn't help but look at him out of the corner of her eye. She had almost forgotten that today was his birthday. She sank lower in her chair and sighed. 

"Miss Chang, Doctor Evens will see you now," said the nurse as she opened the door. 

Leigh's head popped up, as did Jonathon's. She stood up and for a brief second her eyes met his, before she walked across the waiting room and stepped behind the door. 

Jonathon felt his heart drop. His hands felt clammy. He felt like bolting, but he knew he couldn't. His dad and Wufei were standing outside the office and they would surely catch him. He didn't think he could out run two former pilots. He stood up abruptly and went over to the window. He was breathing hard. He wanted to hyperventilate. He pressed his hands against the cool glass, leaning into it, his forehead coming to rest on it. _"God please don't let her be pregnant."_ And despite what he and Leigh were going through right now, he felt like he should be in there with her. He knew he was partially responsible. He had seen the briefest flicker of uncertainty in her eyes and it scared him.

******************************************************************************

Leigh twiddled her thumbs nervously as she sat on the examination table. She felt cold. She rubbed her arms to ward off the chill since she was only wearing a flimsy gown now. And for some inane and desperate reason, she wanted Jonathon there with her. She was scared. She knew deep down that she needed him, but she was too proud to admit that she did. She loved him too much and it hurt that he never said it back, but she knew she couldn't mistake the adoration in his eyes when they were together. It was in the way that he kissed her, the way he held her, and the way that he made love to her. She knew his feelings ran deep, but she didn't know how deep. She looked up at the clock ticking on the wall. She watched the second hand move around the white face. She pulled her bottom lip through her teeth. "Jonathon," she whimpered plaintively. The door swung open silently, startling her. 

"Hello there Leigh," said Doctor Evens as she flipped through the chart, "I see you're here for a pregnancy test."

"Yes," she replied faintly, sitting up a little. 

"Don't worry, it'll be over in no time. And I'll have the results in an hour," Doctor Evens said as she put the chart down on the stainless steel counter. 

Leigh gulped and lay back on the table. _"Jonathon, I need you." _Her eyes shut tight. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon's head perked up. He looked towards the swinging door in which she had disappeared. He tapped his fingers on the glass. He glanced down at his watch. "Fifteen minutes," he said to himself as he shoved his hands in his jean pockets. "Why does it take so damn long?"

Hilde watched her son with a rueful expression. _"He looks nervous and scared. But who could blame him? I wish there was something more I could do for him, but I know there isn't." _

Sally was watching him as well. Her expression was sympathetic. She was worried for her daughter and for Jonathon. They were still at odds with each other and she knew that they would never be happy until they sorted it out. This was just another added complication. _"God forbid Leigh's pregnant. That'll put a real wrench into things. They don't need this right now. My poor girl and poor Jonathon." _

"That's all for now Leigh," Doctor Evens said as she picked up the chart again. "And since this test will only take an hour, don't go too far. You can dress now," she said as she left the room. 

Leigh felt nauseous as she stood up slowly on shaky legs. She began to peel the thin gown from her body and started to pull on her clothes. She tugged her sweater over her head and slipped her feet into her sandals. She opened the door and walked towards the door back to the waiting room. 

Jonathon's head turned towards the door as it opened once again. It was she. She looked slightly pale. His heart ached a little. He wanted to go over to her, but he wasn't sure how she would receive him. His eyes met hers. 

She found those cobalt eyes staring into hers. She stared back for a moment before letting them fall away from his. She wanted to go over to him and burrow in the security of his arms, but she didn't know how he would react. She went over to her mother. "She says that the results will be ready in an hour."

Sally reached up and squeezed her daughter's hand reassuringly. "All right then. Why don't we get something to eat in the cafeteria until then?"

"All right," Leigh replied in a subdued voice. 

"That sounds like a good idea," Hilde said as she rose from her chair. "Jonathon, we're going to get some lunch," she called quietly. 

"Sure mom," Jonathon said as he fell into step behind his mother. His eyes focused on the back of Leigh's head. He watched her shining hair swing as she walked. He could still remember it's silky texture as it slid through his fingers. He watched her push it aside, revealing the back of her neck. He wanted to touch that small patch of skin, feeling its smoothness under his fingertips. 

"We're going to lunch," Sally said as she walked past Duo and Wufei. She wasn't surprised at all by her husband's black eye. She felt like he deserved something since he helped instigate this whole mess. 

Duo pushed away from the wall and fell into step next to his son. "Well?"

"An hour. The results will be ready in an hour," Jonathon stated flatly as he looked down at the tiled floor under his feet. 

"An hour," Duo sighed as he placed his hands behind his head as he walked.

Wufei scowled as he followed Duo and Jonathon down the hall. His eyes bounced back and forth between father and son. The only difference between them was the braid running down Duo's back; otherwise they were close in height and build, with the same hair color. It was a little unnerving seeing how much they resembled each other. _"And it's more then just looks. It's temperament and personality too." _

******************************************************************************

Lunch was silent. Jonathon was sitting across from Leigh. He couldn't meet her eyes. He could feel Wufei's though. He had felt the nasty looks from him for most of the day. He didn't blame the man. He would want to kill any guy who got his daughter pregnant outside of wedlock too. 

Leigh watched him from under her lashes. He hadn't said anything to her. She would catch his eyes on her before they would flicker away. She barely nibbled at her salad. She hadn't felt at all hungry. She forced herself to swallow what was in her mouth. "Mom, I'm going to walk in the gardens outside," she murmured as she pushed her plate away and got out of her chair. She walked quickly out of the cafeteria. 

He watched her go, not caring if Wufei saw him. He dipped his spoon back in the pudding, swirling it around a bit before pushing back his chair and going after her. 

Wufei went to stand, but Sally placed her hand against his chest, shaking her head. He scowled at her as he sat back down again. 

Duo squeezed Hilde's hand under the table and gave her a reassuring smile. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon found her outside on a bench in the shade of the trees. He went over to her. "Can I sit down?"

Leigh looked up at him. He looked like a little boy with his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans and a lock of his hair falling over his forehead. Her lip quirked up slightly. "Sure."

He sat down next to her, propping his elbows on his knees. "I'm sorry," he said softly. 

She looked over at him. "Sorry for what?"

"Sorry for this. Sorry for everything else I ever did to bring us to this," he sighed, raking his hand through his hair. 

Leigh smiled a little more. "I'm probably just as much to blame as you, Jonathon. There are a lot of things I shouldn't have done either."

"But it is my fault you're in this," he said as he grasped her hand in his. "And you were probably right when you said I took advantage of you."

"Don't say that. I was upset when I said that. I'm just as much to blame as you are. I chose to let that happen, so it wasn't all you. It was me too," she said, as she looked him in the eyes. 

"But if you are…pregnant, what are we going to do?"

"I wish I knew. But if I'm not…I think we should make it official."

"Make what official?"

"Our breakup. And this time for real Jonathon."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this time is the last time. It's not good for you or me. All we do is hurt each other and I don't want to hurt you anymore then you want to hurt me."

"I suppose you're right," he said slowly. He looked down at the gravel under his shoes.

"Jonathon, I care too much about you. It's just not working and we're tearing each other apart," she said quietly. The leaves rustled overhead in the slight breeze. 

"So does this mean this is it?"

"It has to be. I can't live like this and neither should you. We're just not meant to be," she said a little sadly. 

Jonathon felt his heart breaking. It was making his blood roar in his ears. It hurt. _"God, do I let her go? Do I let her walk out of my life? If I love her, I'll let her go, but because I do love her, how can I? I don't want to lose her. **But maybe if you lose her, you'll get her back in the end. So what will it be? Will you let her go? Do you love her enough to let her go?" **_"I don't know," he whispered to himself. He looked up at her. Her ice blue eyes were wrought with pain. He could see that this was hard for her too. He swallowed hard and looked at their entwined fingers, his heart in his throat. "All right Leigh. This time it's really over," he said hoarsely. 

Leigh felt the tension leave her. She looked into his eyes that showed his feelings. She closed her eyes. Her heart was breaking it. She was deliberately breaking her own heart. But she had no other choice. She didn't want to hurt him anymore. "Thank you," she whispered as she leaned against him. 

He turned a little and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. _"I want to tell you Leigh. I love you more then anything else. It's not you, it was never you. It was me. I'm a coward to admit how I feel about you. And for it, I'm losing you." _

She burrowed against him. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder, reveling in the closeness and warmth he was providing. She had always felt protected in his arms. She inhaled raggedly, not wanting to cry in front of him. 

"Are you finished?" Wufei asked as he looked at them. 

Leigh leaned away from Jonathon, passing him a wobbly smile. "Yes. Is it time to go back?"

"Yes, dear," Sally said as she smiled gently. 

"All right," Leigh answered as she stood. She looked down at Jonathon. "It's time to see, I guess."

Jonathon stood up and nodded his head. He didn't say anything. 

Leigh smiled at him as she walked forwards, her hand sliding out of his. She walked in front of her parents. 

Jonathon looked over at his. He nodded his head towards them and he followed them back to the hospital. He observed them silently. He watched how his dad's fingers rested on the middle of his mother's back before settling on her hip. He saw his mother lean into him a little, until she was pressed against his side. It was an unconscious gesture on both their parts. He sighed. He could see Wufei and Sally ahead of them and he watched them as well. He watched as Sally's fingers brushed against Wufei's. And for a moment, he squeezed them tight before releasing them, but they continued to barely touch hers. Their gesture was a little subtler then his parent's. That was what he wanted. He wanted what his parents had. It made the pain in his chest intensify. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh sat back down in the chair in the doctor's office. She twiddled her thumbs a little as Jonathon sat down beside her.

"Miss Chang, Doctor Evens will see you in her office now," said the nurse as she opened the door. 

Leigh stood and looked back at Jonathon. "Will you come with me?"

"Yes," Jonathon replied as he took her hand and followed her in. Once inside the office, he continued to hold her hand tight. 

She felt a great deal better having him there with her. She could feel his strength coursing though her. She cast a look at their hands, their fingers intertwined. "Thank you," she said softly. 

"It's no problem," he replied as he squeezed her fingers. 

Doctor Evens came back into the office. "Well Leigh, I have you're results," she said as she sat down in the leather chair behind the desk. She gave Jonathon a quick once over before looking back at Leigh.

"This is Jonathon Maxwell, he's here for support," Leigh stated calmly, although her heart was pounding madly. 

"Maxwell huh?" Doctor Evens said, arching a brow. "Well Leigh, I'm glad to say that you're healthy as anything."

"And? Am I pregnant? Leigh asked as she leaned up on the edge of her seat. 

Doctor Evens smiled. "No, Leigh, you're not pregnant."

Leigh and Jonathon both let out a sigh of relief. 

"Have you been under a great deal of stress lately?" the doctor asked. 

"Yeah, a lot," Leigh replied as she took a deep breath. 

"Well get some rest and stop worrying about things. And I trust you, young man, that you'll make sure she'll get the rest she needs," Doctor Evens said, smiling. 

"Yes, ma'am," Jonathon replied as he felt Leigh's hand tighten on his again. 

"Good, I can count on you. Leigh, take care. I'll see you in a few months," Doctor Evens said as she stood.

"Thank you Doctor Evens," Leigh said as she rose from her chair. She pulled Jonathon out with her and back out into the waiting room past their mothers. 

"Well?" Sally asked as she looked at them. 

"What is it?" Hilde asked curiously. 

"I'll tell you all outside," Leigh said as she continued to pull Jonathon along out the door. 

Once out in the parking lot the parents surrounded the both of them. 

"Leigh, what did your doctor say?" Wufei asked irately. 

"She said that I'm…not pregnant!" Leigh said excitedly. 

Sally and Wufei let out a sigh of relief. 

Duo and Hilde did the same. 

Leigh threw her arms around Jonathon's neck, hugging him tight. "Thank you for going in there with me. It meant a lot to me," she whispered in his ear. 

"I know," Jonathon whispered back, holding her tight and as long as possible. He breathed her in, fixating the smell of her perfume in his brain.

"Well we should be getting home, I have to make your cake," Hilde said as she linked her arm through Duo's. "Are you coming Jonathon?"

"In a minute," he replied as he reluctantly let Leigh go. 

"Are you done yet Leigh?" Wufei asked impatiently. 

"Go on to the car dad, I'll be there in a minute," Leigh said over her shoulder. She looked back at Jonathon and looking down at her ring finger on her right hand, pulled off a silver etched ring that her parents had given her when she was sixteen. She took his hand and pressed it into his palm. "Take this. I want you to have it."

"Leigh, this is your favorite ring," Jonathon said incredulously. 

"I know, but I want you to have it. To remember all the good times that we had," she added ruefully. 

He looked down at the tiny ring in his hand. He smiled ruefully as well as he reached under the collar of his black T-shirt and pulled out the cross that he wore. The eighteen-karat gold glinted in the afternoon sun. He lifted it over his head and slipped it over hers. "Then I want you to have this."

"Jonathon, you given that when you were christened," Leigh said, shocked that he would give her something that he had always worn since he was six. 

"I know," Jonathon replied, smiling slightly. "I would like you to have it."

She stared at him for a moment, the wind ruffling his chestnut locks. His eyes never looked as blue as they did. She pressed her palm over the cross before slipping it under the collar of her shirt. "I'll keep it with me always," she said faintly. 

  
"Good bye Leigh," Jonathon said as he bent down and pressed a kiss on her cheek. His heart ached terribly. 

"Good bye Jonathon," Leigh said as she pressed a kiss on his cheek. She stepped away and turned on her heel, not wanting him to see the tears in her eyes that threatened to spill over. Her heart was falling apart. It was killing her as she got into the SUV. She looked back at him as they left, her hand resting over the cross under her shirt. _"I love you Jonathon." _

Jonathon watched her climb into the Expedition. He held onto her ring tight. He felt a huge lump in his throat, but he pushed it down. He closed his eyes once and a single tear tracked down his cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his hand before turning around and walking towards his dad's waiting Suburban. 

__

A/N: This isn't it! I promise! Stay tuned for more! XOXO!


	10. Memories and Denials

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

**_Warring Hearts, Part 9_**

Jonathon leaned his head back on the couch, staring absently at the ceiling. He was supposed to be studying for his advanced calculus and statistics class, not like he really needed to. He would graduate from the University of Berlin in a week and hopefully, he would graduate with high honors. He rolled off the couch in the apartment that he had rented for the semester. He walked over to the window and watched the snowfall. He sighed and pressed his hand on the paned glass before turning his stereo on and flopping back down on the couch, pushing the books to the floor. He pulled a box off of the table behind his head and rested it on his chest. He looked at it for a moment, contemplating on whether or not he should open it. But as always, he slowly opened the box. 

_I was her she was me_

_We were one we were free_

_And if there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

_And if there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

He stared at the picture of Leigh and him that he had pulled out. Her arms were looped around his neck, her cheek pressed up against his. He smiled ruefully as he flipped to the next picture of her alone, she was looking over her shoulder at him, sticking out her tongue and crossing her eyes. It made him chuckle softly. She had a sense of humor that was rarely seen and she could always make him laugh. 

_We were young we were wrong_

_We were fine all along_

_And if there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

_Where you get to where you want to go_

_And you know the things you want to know_

_You're smiling_

He went to the next picture of her and him, he had her tossed over his shoulder and she was pounding on his back. The next picture made his heart ache a little. It was of the both of them again, their noses were touching and their eyes were closed. It was a private moment that his sister had captured without them knowing. 

_When you said what you wanna to say_

_And you the way you wanna play yeah_

_You'll be so high you'll be flying_

Jonathon closed his eyes, remembering. He could remember the time she broke her ankle and he helped her everywhere. That had been the longest time that they had been together and they hadn't fought. He opened his eyes again and looked at the next picture. He was carrying Leigh out of the hospital, her ankle in the cast. She was holding a bouquet of lilies that he had bought her from the florist down the street from the hospital. She was cuddled against him. 

_Though the sea will be strong_

_I know we'll carry on _

_'Cos if there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

_If there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

He sighed and looked back up at the ceiling. He reached up and pulled out the chain that he wore around his neck. On the end, dangled the ring that she had given to him on his birthday, the day that they had made their break up official. The silver band glinted from the lamplight. The break up had left an indelible impression on him. He hadn't even thought of dating, let alone girls. He couldn't be the same guy that he used to be. There was a part of him missing. It was she. And with the typical Maxwell excess, he had thrown himself into his schoolwork and the business. 

_When you get to where you wanna go_

_And you know the things you wanna know_

_You're smiling_

She made him prove himself to her. It hadn't been easy for him to get her to go out with him in the first place. He had never had to work so hard to get a girl to go out with him before. He saw it as a challenge and being who he was, he didn't pass them up. A smile quirked his lips when he thought of the time he had bought her enough lilies to fill her room and enough of those chocolate chip cookies that she loved to fill several cookie jars. She had relented and went out with him after that. And all the hard work had been worth it. She was worth it. 

_When you said what you wanna say_

_And you know the way you wanna _

_Say it yeah_

_You'll be so high you'll be flying_

Jonathon took the next picture out of the carved box. His smile was bittersweet. It was just of her, sleeping on the couch. Her hair was spilling across the pillow in disarray. For once she looked peaceful. He placed the picture over on the table before taking out the next one. He almost laughed at the next one. It was her after a food fight in the Winner's kitchen. She had just gotten a pie in the face, courtesy of his sister. Randy was in the picture too, with chocolate sauce smeared on her face, courtesy of Leigh. He remembered that fight all too well. Victoria and Chris had started it and it just spilled over, getting every one of them involved. Quatre nearly went into cardiac arrest after seeing the mess twenty young adults and teenagers had left. Leigh had gotten him, by pouring gravy on his head and down the back of his shirt. He had retaliated by dumping water mixed with flour on her head. 

_I was her she was me_

_We were one we were free_

_If there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

_If there's somebody calling me on _

_She's the one_

He put that picture aside and came across one that Randy had taken without him or Leigh noticing. They were both asleep in the hammock outside the back of the house. She was lying curled up next to him, his arms holding her possessively against him. Her head was tucked under his chin. He closed his eyes and pushed the lump in his throat back down. How he wished she was here, sleeping next to him like that. 

_If there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

_Yeah, she's the one_

He knew she was the only one to make him feel so much. He loved her more then anything. Their breakup hadn't diminished his feelings for her. He pulled out the last picture. It was of her alone. She was posing for the camera with her chin propped up on one hand. Her pink lips were curved up in a knowing smile and her ice blue eyes sparkling brilliantly. Her shoulder length hair was curled about her shoulders and wisps of it were lying against her cheeks. It was a picture that he had taken. 

_If there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

_She's the one_

He put the box down on the table, but kept the picture in his hand. He continued to look at it. She was the only woman who loved him. They fought like cats and dogs, but when they didn't fight, it was hard to pry them apart. And he never had to hide who he really was with her. She loved him unconditionally. 

_If there's somebody calling me on_

_She's the one_

Jonathon knew she was the one. His heart told him that, but his own self doubt had kept him from telling her. She meant more to him then he let on. And even if it killed him, he would get her back and prove to her that he loved her. "Damn," he sighed as the song faded. He rubbed the heel of his hands in his eyes. Just then the phone rang on his desk. He sighed again and swung his legs over to the floor. He walked over to his desk on the far wall, dropping down into the bentwood chair. The phone rang loudly again. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered as he flipped on the video screen and picked up the phone. "Hello?" His mother's face popped up on the screen. "Mom?"

"Hello sweetheart," Hilde said as she smiled briefly. 

"What are you calling for?" he asked. He noticed her harried expression. "What's wrong mom?"

"I'm at the hospital. Victoria had the baby," she replied as she looked over her shoulder. 

His brows arched in surprise. "Isn't she early?"

"She's two weeks early. It's crazy over here. Your father is trying to pacify Chris, who is in a panic because she was early. Heero and Relena are looking after Alex. I can't get your sister, she's not picking up…"

"Mom, calm down. Is Victoria okay now?"

"She's all right now. She's still with the doctor. But your brother is still pacing the hall like a caged lion and like I said, your father is trying to calm him down."

"So, did she have a boy or a girl?"

"A boy. Named already too."

"What did they name him?"

"Rhys Tyler."

"That's a good name," Jonathon said as he raked his hand through his hair. "So is everything else ok? Did you already talk to David?"

"Yes, I called him before you. I just need to reach Randy and I haven't been able to get her," Hilde replied as she looked over her shoulder again. 

"Mom, hasn't it occurred to you that it's the middle of the night here and she's an ocean away, where it happens to be daylight still. She's probably out with Donavon and Vaughn," he said as he gave her a reassuring smile. "How are you doing?"

"I'm all right. I'm trying to keep your brother pacified too, but your father suggested that I call and tell you guys the news. It's hard though. Victoria was not supposed to deliver this week. She was due over Christmas not two weeks before," Hilde said, still a little worried. 

"Don't worry about it mom. Victoria is a tough chick. If she can take on Chris, she'll be absolutely fine," Jonathon pointed out. 

"That's true. Your brother was always a handful," she sighed. "And Victoria does manage to keep him in line. And she's Heero's daughter too."

"That should be the dead give away that she'll be all right."

Hilde's smile brightened a little. "And how is school going?"

"I have one final tomorrow and then I'm all done. You remember that I graduate this time?"

"I remember dear. And we'll be there this Monday to see you graduate. My kids are growing up so fast."

"Don't worry mom, you'll have two grandchildren to chase after. And soon, David and Kellie will be married and add another few onto that. Not if Victoria gets pregnant again first."

"After this, I think Victoria and Chris will wait to have more, if they want any," Hilde said with a wry smile. She looked over her shoulder again before looking back at him. "I better go now Jonathon. I think your dad needs me to relieve him. He looks like he needs some coffee."

"All right. Thanks for calling and telling me mom. Send Chris and Vicky my best," Jonathon said as he smiled brightly. 

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too mom," he said before hanging up and flipping off the video screen. He sat back in his chair. "Lucky devil," he said to himself. "Chris has two kids already. David is getting married in June and Randy has Donavon. And me? I have no one because I let her go." He banged his head on the edge of the desk. "And she's always with Ling from what I hear." He banged his head again. "You are a baka Jonathon Maxwell. A real class 'A' baka."

******************************************************************************

Hilde stared worriedly at the video screen for a moment. She shook her head sadly. Her second born had looked tired and worn. He hadn't been the same since he and Leigh really broke it off on his birthday. And it hurt her that he wasn't getting over it. She knew that he still loved Leigh more then anything. He wasn't giving up. However, it was taking a toll on him that she could plainly see. His eyes had lost some of their vibrancy and became a little colder. He had drawn too deeply into himself and he was making himself miserable. She sighed and turned around to observe Duo, trying to calm down Chris, who was walking back and forth in the middle of the hall. "Jonathon is so much like Duo, as are Chris and David. They all feel so deeply and they take things so hard. Jonathon is still hurting, although I know he tries to hide it." She sighed again, raking back her raven hair with one hand. "I just wish there was something that I could do for him," she said to herself as she turned back to the phone and began trying to call Randy again.

******************************************************************************

Leigh walked down the hall of the hospital two days later. She was on her way to visit Victoria. Her navy heels clicked on the tiled floor as she made her way towards the private room that Victoria had been put in. She looked over her shoulder. She hadn't told Ling that she would be coming here today. She had been seeing him for five months now. She liked him a great deal, but she didn't love him. She knew it in her heart. There was only one guy that she loved. She still loved Jonathon. She sighed and looked forwards again and saw that Victoria had other visitors today as well. "Hello Dominic."

Dominic's eyes found Leigh. A smile that belonged to his mother curved his lips. "Hey there Leigh. Come to see Vicky and Rhys?"

"Yeah, I figured I would stop by today on my lunch hour," she replied as she paused for a moment next to him. "So another Yuy with Maxwell blood will be running around."

"I know. Dad's hoping that Rhys looks like our side instead of Duo's. But I don't think that's going to happen. Rhys has cobalt blue eyes and it looks like he might have Duo's hair color too," Dominic sighed, raking his hand through is unruly dark brown hair. He was the image of Heero. 

"Who's in there now? I can hear voices."

"Mom's in there. So is Chris. The guy hasn't left the hospital in two days. My sister has already confessed to me that he's driving her nuts."

"That's Chris for you. Always driving everyone crazy," Leigh sighed, "especially Victoria. I don't know how she puts up with it."

"I don't know either," Dominic admitted as he shrugged his shoulders. 

Relena came out of the room, with Chris trailing behind her. She spotted Leigh and smiled. "Hello there Leigh. Come to see Victoria?"

"Yes. I figured I would stop by before she gets swamped by everyone once they all come home," Leigh said as she nodded her head. 

"That's a good idea," Relena said as she looked over at Chris. She shook her blond head at him. "And you should stop hovering over her. You're driving her insane Chris."

"She's needs to be looked after, she's being melodramatic," Chris sulked, crossing his arms. 

"You really should give it a rest braid boy. You wouldn't want your lovely wife to smother you in your sleep once she comes home?" Leigh smirked. 

Chris glowered at Leigh, but said nothing. "I'm going back…"

"No, you're not. Let Leigh visit Victoria and Rhys alone without you there," Relena said firmly. "Go home, shower, get changed, and get some coffee. Leigh will probably still be here if you don't want to leave her alone."

"But…"

"Go Chris. There will be no way you'll be able to talk your way around my mom. If I can't do it, and my dad can't do it, neither will you," Dominic said as he gave the older Maxwell a slight push.

Chris pouted. "Fine." He went back in the room for a moment before coming back out. He looked over at Leigh. "I'll be back in an hour. Look after her."

"I will," Leigh sighed, rolling her eyes. 

He nodded his head and started walking down the hall. He kept on looking over his shoulder though. 

Dominic rolled his eyes. "I'll see you later Leigh. Come on mom, I told dad that I would take you to the meeting at the Government Palace."

"All right," Relena sighed, patting her sedate bun. "Good bye Leigh."

"Good bye Relena. You too Dominic," Leigh said as she waved them off. She went into the room, closing the door silently behind her. She smiled when she got a view of Victoria and Rhys. "Hey there."

Victoria looked up from the baby. She gave Leigh a relieved smile. "Oh thank God, you're here. I love Chris dearly, but he's going to make me strangle him in a minute."

"Overprotective vibe?"

"More like it's oozing from every pore. He's worse then my dad," Victoria snorted softly as she looked back down at her son. 

Leigh pulled a chair up next to the bed. She leaned forwards and smiled. "He's adorable."

"I know. Chris wanted a boy. He got one," Victoria said, laughing quietly. "But I'm glad it's over. I was getting tired of being pregnant."

"You looked good pregnant though. I can only hope to look as great as you did when I'm pregnant," Leigh admitted honestly. 

"I bet you will. You take good care of yourself. And you're active. So you should probably look as good as me, if not better. But I told Chris this morning, no more for awhile. I want to stay thin for a little bit."

"That's understandable. You were pregnant last year. You were pregnant this year. You really didn't have a lot of time between babies."

"Call it Chris's inability to keep his hands off of me for more then a minute," Victoria said as she rolled her eyes. 

"You know those Maxwell men, they can never keep their hands off," Leigh chuckled. 

"And speaking of Maxwell men, you still in love with you know who?"

Leigh's face colored slightly. 

"I knew it! You're still in love with Jonathon," Victoria said with a triumphant smile. 

"I'm not!" Leigh protested. 

"You're wearing his cross. I don't even have Chris's. Jonathon gave you his on his own free will. And you haven't taken it off since you broke up with him," Victoria stated smugly. 

"You have way too much time on your hands if you think about that," Leigh grouched, sitting back in her chair. 

"You're always like this when you know I'm right. And you're still in love with my handsome brother in law. And there's nothing wrong with that except for the fact that you're with somebody else."

"I get along fine with Ling, thank you very much."

"But you don't love him. Good Lord, Leigh, why do you do this to yourself? You always date men that you don't love or even like that much. And there is one out there that adores you and you broke up with him!"

"Well he never said that he loved me, so that kind of puts a crimp in things," Leigh snapped. 

"Didn't you ever look him in the eyes?" Victoria asked as she shifted Rhys a little. 

"Yes."

"And what did you see?"

Leigh looked away from Victoria's probing Prussian blue eyes and looked out the window. "I could see that he cared for me."

"And how much was that?" Victoria prodded.

"A lot," Leigh replied softly.

"See, he cared more then he said he did. Chris doesn't have to say it, I just have to see it in his eyes and I know. And you know that gesture of theirs?"

Leigh's eyes lit up a little. "I know which one you mean. The noses."

"That whole gesture means a lot to them. When they rub their noses against yours, it carries a wealth of meaning with it. It means more then a kiss. Even more then making love," Victoria said as she slipped her one hand from under the baby and looked at her wedding band.

"They all picked it up from their parents. You see Duo and Hilde do it when they think no one is looking. I remember the first time Jonathon did that with me. He took my face between his hands and at first I thought he was going to kiss me, but he just rubbed his nose lightly against mine," Leigh answered as she fingered the cross around her neck. "And in a spilt second I understood what it meant."

"And you have to admit that the men are romantic when they want to be. Plus, they're as possessive as hell. Any guy so much as looks in my direction, Chris looks like he wants to kill."

"Chris never did like to share," Leigh said dryly, "Even his torture of you when we were children. He always had to be the one to tease and taunt you. He didn't like it if anyone else tried to."

"That's him alright. And I recall Jonathon being much the same way. He always had to have a hand on you wherever you two went. And his eyes always followed you around too. I also remember that look he gave Ling when he first met him. If looks could kill…"

"Ling would have been dead several times over," Leigh finished. "And the look he gave me was very similar that night as well."

"Do you blame the guy? You brought your new boyfriend into the house of your ex, who happens to be head over heels in love with you," Victoria said, arching a brow. 

"No, I don't blame him. He had every right to look as mad as hell at me. But head over heels in love with me?" Leigh snorted, "Hardly."

"He is though. He may not say that he does, but I'm ninety nine percent sure that he does."

"And how would you know that?"

"The way he acts. I have never seen the guy so smitten before over one woman. He's obsessed with you."

Leigh raised a skeptical brow. 

"He is. Trust me. Would I lie?" 

Leigh sighed and sat forwards in her chair again. "Not necessarily. But you know he's never said it to me?"

"I know. But you can't discount the fact that he acts like he is," Victoria said knowingly. Rhys chose that time to whimper faintly, making her rock him gently back and forth. "Shh, love," she whispered, quieting him back down again. She returned her eyes to Leigh, who was giving Rhys a loving look. She smirked. "Would you like to hold him?"

Leigh raised her eyes back to Victoria's. "Is that all right?"

"Yeah, sure," Victoria replied as she sat up a little. 

Leigh leaned forwards more and carefully took him from his mother's arms. She cradled him in her own as she leaned back in the chair. She smiled when he lazily opened his eyes. The deep cobalt blue glimmered briefly before his eyes slid closed again. There were wisps of chestnut colored hair on his head, giving testimony to the fact that Rhys would take after his father's side in looks. "He is so beautiful Victoria."

Victoria smiled, leaning back against her pillow. "He's going to be a little heartbreaker."

"Hmm, I can see that. Better pray he takes after your side in temperament since he's going to look like Chris."

"My dad's already despairing over that. Another grandchild of his that will have the cobalt eyes of his father's side."

"Well Alex has your blond hair, so she looks somewhat like your side, doesn't she?"

"She may have my blond hair, but she has Chris's cobalt eyes. And she's turning out to be as stubborn as he is," Victoria explained as she pushed her blond bangs off her forehead. 

"He was always stubborn. And he was always cocky as hell too. He was always proud of being the one to devil you in school. And he let everyone know it too. He liked being caught," Leigh said as she looked back up at Victoria. 

"Well he deviled you too. I remember the time he super glued you to the swings when were nine and ten. And then there was the time he tied you and me to a tree and put a bonfire around us. Our dads' had a fit over that one."

"We were twelve when he did that. I still can't believe he did that to us."

"I think it was retaliation for dumping a can of white paint on his head. It was your idea," Leigh remarked drolly. 

"Yeah and see what it got us. We almost got barbecued by that maniac that I now call my husband."

"Who's a maniac?" Chris asked as he came in, carrying Alex in his arms. 

"You haven't been gone an hour," Victoria said as she glanced at the clock. Her lips curled into a frown. 

"So sue me," Chris replied as he leaned down and pressed a sound kiss on her lips. "Alex wanted to see her mommy."

Victoria smiled. "Hello darling," she said as she leaned over and pressed a kiss on her daughter's cheek. She looked back up at Chris. "You're hair is still wet."

"I rushed," Chris said loftily as he sat down in the other chair, Alex on his lap. 

"That house better not be a mess when I come home mister or else there will be hell to pay," she warned, shaking her finger at him. 

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, rolling his eyes. He looked over at Leigh. "Don't get too attached there," he smirked.

Leigh flushed and gave him a sour look. "Shut up Chris."

His smirk grew broader. He turned his eyes back towards his wife. "And what were you two talking about while I was gone?"

"About how much you're driving me insane. And about Jonathon," Victoria answered as she looked over at Leigh. 

Leigh's lips twisted into a slight frown. "You had to mention that."

Chris's lips turned up into a slight smile. "So you were talking about him?"

"Your wife brought him up, I didn't," Leigh scowled. 

"Well you are wearing his cross," he pointed out as he shifted Alex on his lap. 

"So that doesn't mean anything."

"Of course it does Leigh. You really think my brother would just give his cross to anybody? No. Well maybe to Morgan, but she would be it besides you."

"It doesn't mean anything," Leigh reiterated tartly. 

A devilish look flickered in his eyes. "Does to."

Leigh narrowed her eyes at him. 

"Chris will you stop baiting Leigh," Victoria reprimanded, giving him a warning look. 

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to have to kill you," Leigh hissed. 

"You and what army," Chris replied back, little lights in his eye flickering mischievously. 

"Chris," Victoria ground out. 

Leigh's nostrils flared. She stuck her tongue out at him. 

Chris did the same. 

"That's mature," Victoria snapped, glaring at him. 

"Sorry," Chris replied, unrepentantly. 

Victoria rolled her eyes heavenwards. "Please God make sure my daughter and my son are nothing like their baka father."

"You better pray pretty hard Vicky," Leigh said shaking her head. 

"I'm not that bad," Chris said, flashing a roguish grin. 

"You're a Maxwell. You're always bad," Leigh stated archly. 

"And you love the bad. You're still half in love with my brother. Us Maxwell men always bring out the best and the worst in the women we love," he said smugly.

"I'm not in love with your brother!"

"Yeah right Leigh. I'll believe that we hell freezes over," Chris snorted. 

Leigh passed him a fulminating look as she handed Rhys back over to his mother. "Go to hell."

"Been there Leigh. And it's quite pleasant," Chris said back, grinning wickedly. 

"Can't you control him at all Victoria?"

"I wish. He does what he wants anyway," Victoria sighed in defeat. "Although once I'm out of this bed, I could probably keep him in line a little better."

"You only think you could," Chris said, smirking at his wife.

"Is that a challenge?" Victoria asked, her eyes narrowing. 

"Oh good Lord," Leigh sighed. "You two are classic."

"So are you and Jonathon. The sparks fly just as high and even hotter," Chris said as he smoothed a hand over his daughter's burnished blond curls. 

"You…you…" Leigh sputtered indignantly. 

Chris snickered.

"Chris stop it," Victoria chided, giving him a look. "She obviously doesn't want to admit it, so let it go."

"Thank you Victoria," Leigh said, flashing the other woman a quick smile. "Jonathon and I agreed it wasn't going to work."

"He agreed? Or you mean you decided for the both of you?" Chris asked archly, not letting the subject drop. 

Leigh's lips twitched ominously. 

"Chris," Victoria ground out. 

"You know I'm right Leigh. He would twist himself into knots before he willingly gave up on you. My brother is not one to let things go."

"Well he let me go!"

"And you still love him!"

"Drop dead!"

"You first!"

Leigh growled at him. 

"Admit it and I'll drop it! You love Jonathon and not Ling," Chris threw at her. 

Leigh gritted her teeth together. She wanted to choke him. "Yes I love your brother! Are you happy now!"

"Yes."

"Fine," Leigh snapped as she stood. She looked at Victoria. "Bye Vic, I'll see you later. Rhys is adorable unlike his father."

"Bye Leigh. Thank you for coming," Victoria said gratefully as she watched her friend leave the room at the same time the nurse came to take Rhys back to the nursery. She watched as they left the room, looking at Chris out of the corner of her eye as he stood and put Alex in his chair. She reached out and wrapped his braid around her fist and gave it a sharp tug. 

"Ouch! What the hell was that for!" he exclaimed as he turned around to look at her. He saw her lips twisting to hold back the retorts he knew that were on the tip of her tongue. 

"You know exactly what it's for Christopher Maxwell! You deliberately provoked Leigh!" she countered in a low furious tone. 

"So, I was right," he pouted as he rubbed his scalp. 

"You might have been right, but you still shouldn't have pushed, you braided baka!"

"So you agree with me?"

"Yes, I agree with you! I know that she still loves Jonathon! But until she admits it to herself, its best not to provoke her," Victoria remarked angrily, smacking his arm. 

"God, you hit harder every year," Chris whined as he rubbed his arm. He sat down on the edge of the bed. He gave her a soulful look. "Would it help if I said I'm sorry?"

Victoria glared at him. 

"I'm sorry baby. Please," he said again as he pressed his forehead against hers. "You shouldn't be getting worked up. It isn't good for you." 

"Then you shouldn't give me a reason to get upset," she said in a deceptively sweet tone before she reached up and pulled on his ear, making him wince, "is that clear?"

"Yes, just let go," Chris protested as she finally released him. He rubbed the lobe of his ear. "Would it help if I said I was sorry again?"

"Maybe."

"I'm sorry princess," he said leaning forwards and kissing her softly. "I won't do it again," he whispered before kissing her again. 

Victoria smiled against his mouth. One thing that she loved about him was the sweet way he would kiss up to her, literally. It was endearing. And he was a damn good kisser too. "You're forgiven," she said as he lifted his mouth of hers. "But try not to bring up your brother in front of Leigh."

"I won't. I just don't understand why he can't tell her. I mean he's obsessed with her because he's so in love with her. And I don't see how Leigh would miss that. He flashes it like a neon sign."

"Because she wants to hear it. Wasn't it you or David who said that every woman needs to hear that they're loved?"

"It was David who said it and he's right. Women do. I know you like to hear it all the time."

"And you say it as often as possible. But Leigh needs to hear it from Jonathon. She won't believe it until he does."

"It might be too late though," Chris pointed out as he leaned over and picked up Alex, who was trying to get out of the chair. He sat her down on his lap and slipped one arm around Victoria's shoulders. 

"It might be. Although it might be a little late, it's better then not saying it at all," Victoria said as she leaned into his side. 

"How did I come to marry a smart woman like you?" he asked as he rubbed his nose against hers. 

"Luck," she said as she returned the gesture. 

"I love you."

"I know you do. And I love you too," she said faintly as his lips found hers in a loving kiss. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh was fuming. She wanted to strangle Chris. Her navy pumps clicked angrily on the tiled floor of the hospital. "Damn all Maxwell men!" she muttered as she stalked through the lobby and out the sliding doors. She all but slammed the door of her car as she got in. She pressed her head against the steering wheel. "Am I that obvious? If Chris and Victoria can tell that I'm still in love with him, who else can tell?" She banged her head on the steering wheel. "But what does it matter now, we broke up for good. It just wasn't working between us. It wouldn't make a difference if he told me that he loved me now, would it?" She leaned up and lifted the cross and let it dangle from her fingertips. The gold glittered brilliantly. Ling had never asked her where she had gotten it and she had never volunteered the information. He knew nothing about her history with Jonathon. "And that's the way it has to stay. Ling never finds out. And Jonathon and I are only history," she said softly, although it made her heart clench painfully in her chest, "and it has to stay that way or else I'll never be happy." A lone tear slid down her cheek. "But why can't I convince myself of that?"

***Song "She's the One" by Robbie Williams**

_A/N: I know this chapter was long, I hoped you enjoyed it! There will be more coming soon, so stay tuned for more! XOXO!_


	11. The Dance of Chance

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids 

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

**_Warring Hearts, Part 10_**

It was torture. He sat there at the table, watching her the entire time. It was David and Kellie's engagement party. It was right after dinner and they were having dessert now. And just by luck they were both sitting at the same table. He felt Morgan squeeze his hand under the table reassuringly. Jonathon turned and gave her a wan smile. "Thank you for coming."

"It was no problem. It was nice of you to ask me," Morgan said as she smiled back warmly. Her eyes went across the table to where Leigh was sitting with Ling. 

His eyes returned to look over at Leigh. She looked stunning tonight. The Chinese style dress was a brilliant red, a color that she looked good in. It was like a knife twisting in his heart each time she smiled at Ling. He ran a finger under the collar of his charcoal dress shirt, loosening the matching silk tie. He felt Morgan's hand come up and tug it away. He gave her a sheepish smile. 

"Don't fidget," she said gently as she laced her fingers with his on top of the table. 

Jonathon squeezed her fingers. "Did I tell you that you looked pretty tonight?"

"No, you didn't. But I figured you had other things on your mind," she said softly as she nodded discreetly towards Leigh and Ling. "But it's nice that you noticed." She ran her one hand over the chocolate colored velvet dress that enhanced her creamy complexion and brought out the deep highlights in her brunette hair. 

"There wasn't much about you I didn't notice when we were dating," he sighed as he gave her a warmer smile. 

"Figures there's nothing much you don't miss about beautiful women," Morgan teased. 

"And you'd be right," he replied, laughing a little. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh's eyes were drawn over towards the sound of his laughter. She had felt his eyes on her for part of the evening. And she would admit that she would look over at him when he wasn't looking. She hadn't really seen much of him since his birthday. She had gone out of her way to give him some time to get used to the idea. She felt a slight twinge of jealousy when she spied his hand intertwined with Morgan's on top of the table. It was something that she couldn't help when she cared as much as she did about him. She was almost startled when she found herself looking back into those cobalt eyes of his. She quickly averted her eyes, turning them back towards Ling. "Are you having a good time?" she asked hastily. 

Ling turned and looked at her. He smiled brightly. "Yes, I'm having a wonderful time. But it's because I'm with you," he said honestly as he leaned over and pressed a kiss on her cheek. 

She gave a sigh of relief and shot a quick glance over at Jonathon, who was staring at Ling with his eyes slightly narrowed. Even though he had acted like everything was ok between them, even though he seemed to accept Ling as her boyfriend, there were still strong undercurrents of intense jealousy. "That's sweet of you to say," she said, forcing a smile to her lips as she looked back at him. 

"And I must say, with the exception of the bride-to-be, you look absolutely beautiful tonight," he said as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. 

Leigh flushed at his compliment. "It is one of my nicer dresses," she admitted as she smoothed her hand over the heavy red embroidered satin. She had bought the dress while she had been at school at the University of Beijing. It was knee length with two side slits up to her mid-thigh. Her sister had one similar in peacock blue. "And as for the bride to be, no one is going to look more beautiful then her tonight," she said as she looked over at Kellie, who was wearing a royal purple satin skirt with a white fitted sweater. 

"But you could give her a run for her money," Ling whispered in her ear. He gave her an engaging smile, before kissing her hand again, then laying it down on the table under his. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon didn't know what he wanted to do first, strangle Ling for just being with her, or outright kill him for kissing her and holding her hand. He knew that she had been casting looks at him during the evening too. When she had walked into the room tonight, he didn't even have to look, he felt her presence, and he could smell the faintest trace of jasmine. It made his heart beat faster and his palms itch. Every one of his senses was attuned to her. A rueful smile crossed his lips as she turned and said something to Donavon, who was seated, on her right. She was smiling. And he wanted nothing more to taste that smile. 

******************************************************************************

David eyed his brother from his table that he was sharing with Kellie. "He's been watching her all evening," he said under his breath. 

Kellie arched her brow. "What do you expect from a guy that's obsessed?"

"The same behavior. And Jonathon isn't hiding the fact that he wants her. The looks he's been sending her have been blatantly obvious," he replied as he absently rubbed his hand on her knee. 

"I don't know why he just couldn't tell her and put himself out of his misery," she sighed. 

"Because when you're the object of so many girls shallow dreams and affections, it tends to make you a little jaded towards any other girl. The only girls that have penetrated that defense he keeps up has been Morgan and Leigh."

"How come you weren't like that then? You were the object of many shallow adoration and affections. And you didn't have any trouble telling me that you loved me."

"I'm a little different then my brother. For one, I didn't let it bother me. I didn't encourage them. Chris and Jonathon encouraged the female population of the Sank Kingdom to chase them. Two, I just didn't have the same type of girls chasing me. Although, any of the girls that chased Chris and Jonathon, would have gladly dated me as well." 

"You know that most of the girls that went to Saint Augustines weren't discriminating. They just wanted to date a Maxwell, it didn't matter which" Kellie snorted. "And I would have to say some of those girls were damn lucky."

"Lucky? Why is that?" David asked, puzzled. 

"They had you first."

He colored slightly. "That was a while ago Kel."

"It doesn't have to be," she drawled. 

"Kellie," he said, with a slightly warning in his tone. 

Kellie rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine, I'll drop it. But what about your brother?" she asked, gesturing towards Jonathon, who looked like he could cheerfully kill Ling. 

"I'll see what I can do now," David said as he stood.

******************************************************************************

Jonathon's ears perked up as his brother began to talk. He looked towards David for a moment. He watched as his hand covered Kellie's. A sharp pang of envy went through him. He was happy for his brother, but at the same time, it was grating watching his two brothers with their women and seeing how happy they were. His own sister was even happy with Donavon. He slouched down in his chair a little as his brother led Kellie to the dance floor. He felt Morgan's hand tug on his. "Yes?"

"Would you dance with me?" Morgan asked, knowing that might serve as a distraction to him.

He had to smile at her ruse. He knew that she was trying to draw him away from Leigh and Ling before he did anything stupid. "If the lady wishes," he replied as he stood, smiling at her. He led her out to the middle of the dance floor, before slipping his one hand to her back and the other one, grasping her hand lightly in his. "You're very clever you know?"

She looked up at him. She saw the knowing smile on his lips. She gave him a sheepish smile "I didn't think you would notice."

He shrugged slightly, still smiling at her. "Did you already forget I don't miss much about any woman? Especially when she's trying to distract me."

Morgan sighed. "You always were hard to distract, especially if you were looking at women. But then again, you were never distracted when you dated me."

"You made sure I couldn't ignore you."

"That's true. I had to keep your attention or else you would've fallen prey to the shallow harpies that we went to school with."

"You know you didn't have to do much Morgan. You were a lot more beautiful then any other girl that I knew. And I genuinely liked you. You still are an exceptionally beautiful woman," Jonathon complimented.

"You flatter me," she answered, a laughing smile tugging on her lips. 

"It's something that I'm damn good at," he replied, unrepentantly. 

"And you flatter yourself as well."

"Another one of my good qualities."

"You are so unbelievably conceited Jonathon."

"Yeah, but you still like me anyway," he teased with a charming smile. 

Morgan laughed. 

Jonathon chuckled as she laughed at him. Her laughter did always make him feel better. It wasn't Leigh's, but it still felt good to hear Morgan laugh. He tilted his head at her, making a few of his chestnut locks to fall over his forehead. "I think you're succeeding."

"In what?"

"Distracting me from what's going on over at our table."

"You mean Leigh and Ling."

"Bingo. You're not very subtle Morgan. That was your purpose in asking me to dance."

"Yes, it was. But you looked like you were going to do something outrageous and I thought it would be a good idea to get you away from there."

"You were right in doing so. You don't know how many times I've mentally throttled Ling for kissing Leigh every chance he gets."

"You're intent was becoming obvious. You were going to act out what you had been thinking," Morgan stated as she smiled softly. 

"I know, I know. Damn Morgan, what would I do without you sometimes?" Jonathon sighed as he bent down and pressed a kiss on her forehead. 

"Make an ass of yourself," she teased, grinning up at him. 

"Ha, ha, very funny," he snorted. 

"I thought so," Morgan smirked.

Jonathon chuckled again at her answer as he continued to dance her about the floor. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh watched covertly from the table. She was feeling jealous. She hated that feeling. She knew that Jonathon had no romantic feelings for Morgan, but at the same time, she really didn't like how much time the attractive brunette spent with him. She glanced over at Ling, who was talking to Victoria as she held onto Rhys. Chris was out on the dance floor with Alexandra. She sighed and took a sip of her burgundy. She swirled it absently in her glass as she continued to watch Jonathon and Morgan dance. 

Ling cast a look at Leigh, out of the corner of his eye as he conversed with Victoria Maxwell. He had noticed that she had been distracted for the entire night. To what was distracting her, he didn't know what. She was slightly edgy and her eyes had flickered towards the source of her irritation constantly, although he was never quick enough to see who or what she was looking at. He adored her. He could plainly say that he loved her. He hadn't said it to her yet, since he wanted to be sure of her feelings. He could see that she was watching the dancers. 

Victoria noticed that Ling was looking at Leigh. She shifted Rhys on her lap. "You should ask her to dance," she said casually. 

He looked towards the blond, who was smiling slightly. "You think so?"

She nodded her head. "Go on Ling."

Ling smiled at her and turned his attention to his girlfriend. "Leigh, would you like to dance?" he asked as he lightly touched her arm. 

Leigh turned her head in his direction. She smiled faintly. "I guess I wouldn't mind."

He smiled broadly and pushed away from the table. He offered her his hand as she rose and escorted her out onto the dance floor. They were playing music that Kellie had chosen. He lightly clasped her hand in his and rested his other hand on the small of her back. He noted that she was beginning to smile again. "You seem happier now," he commented as he turned her about on the floor. 

She looked up at him, slightly puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You've been apprehensive all evening."

Leigh looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's no big deal. What's making you feel like this?"

Her eyes fell on Jonathon and Morgan, who were on the other side of the ballroom, dancing. "Nothing," she said as she returned her eyes to his. 

"Something bothering you?" he persisted gently. 

"No, I'm all right. I was just thinking of something for a moment. I'm sorry I haven't been that good of company tonight."

"That's all right Leigh," he said as he pressed a soft kiss on her lips. "I forgive you."

She gave him an uncertain smile as he lifted his lips away from hers. Her eyes went back to Jonathon and Morgan, and she saw that those cobalt eyes of his were looking directly at her. He looked mad. He looked jealous. _"Oh shit." _

******************************************************************************

Later in the evening…

Jonathon tapped his fingers idly on the table. His eyes were trained on Leigh and Ling, who were on the dance floor once again. He had handed Morgan over to Dominic, who was dancing with her. His eyes followed Leigh's movements around the floor. He had already counted how many times Ling had kissed her and it matched the same number of times he wanted to shoot the guy. 

Chris noted his brother's murderous expression as he saw Ling kiss Leigh again. He pushed his chair over next to his brother's. "You know, you keep looking at him like that, you're going to kill him that way alone," he whispered. 

Jonathon turned his eyes towards his brother. "Don't you have a wife to look after, not to mention your son?"

"Victoria at the moment is surrounded by a bunch of women, who are gushing over Rhys," Chris snorted in disgust. "All those "matronly" type women."

"You mean rich women, who happen to be the wives of important officials," Jonathon supplied flatly. 

"Exactly. People that Zechs and Noin thought should be invited to this party. They'll be invited to the wedding too," Chris answered, shivering slightly at the thought. "It's bad enough I had some of those women at my wedding to Victoria."

"Only because your wife was the daughter of the Foreign Minister and the Security Advisor. You also had to have a grand wedding because even though titles and the name is not used, you were marrying royalty," Jonathon supplied.

"Lucky me," Chris said drolly. "You're going to be the lucky one though."

"Why's that?"

"Because if you marry Leigh, you won't have to have a large elaborate wedding."

Jonathon's eyes shot to Chris's. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly the way I meant it," Chris said, shrugging his shoulders. "And of course it won't happen, with the way you're acting," he added nonchalantly. 

Jonathon narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Chris," he growled. 

Chris returned his eyes to his brother's. They were glittering dangerously. "If you want her so badly, go over and say something to her. Or better yet, ask her to dance. I'm sure ole' Ling wouldn't mind," he said challengingly. 

Jonathon looked over at her again and then back at his brother. 

"What? Are you chicken?"

"Go to hell," Jonathon hissed. 

"After you," Chris smirked evilly. 

Jonathon growled in his throat again. "I'm not a chicken!"

"Then ask her to dance stupid, instead of staring at her the entire night," Chris threw at him. "You were always the one who thought women threw themselves at your feet."

"Are you trying to piss me off?"

"Yes. Is it working?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now go out there, use that Maxwell charm, and ask her to dance or I'll continue to pester you until you do."

"Yeah, keep it up, I just might kill you for the hell of it," Jonathon retorted as he pushed himself away from the table and making his way towards Leigh and Ling. 

Chris leaned back in his chair. "The joys of being the big brother. I can piss them all off whenever I want," he sighed, smiling wickedly at the same time.

******************************************************************************

Jonathon tapped Ling's shoulder. "Do you mind if I cut in Ling?" His eyes connected with Leigh's.

Leigh was looking at Jonathon with startled eyes. _"What's he up to?"_

Ling shrugged his shoulders, unaware of what was going on between Leigh and Jonathon. "Of course I wouldn't mind. Do you mind Leigh?" he asked as he looked back at his girlfriend. 

Leigh shot her eyes to Ling's. She shook her head. 

Ling smiled and placed her hand in Jonathon's. "Take care of my girl for me."

Jonathon gave Ling a slight smirk. "Of course I'll take care of her for you."

Ling nodded his head and left them. 

"What are you up to?" she hissed at Jonathon as he slipped his arm around her waist. She felt a tremor rush through her body from the contact. 

"Nothing," Jonathon replied innocently as he looked down into her eyes. He smiled at her. "What, I'm not allowed to ask you to dance?"

She flushed a little. "You're allowed, but you couldn't wait until the…"

"Next song, which is starting now, by the way," he said as he pulled her a little closer. 

Leigh tried to take a step back. "Don't hold me so close or else Ling will start asking questions!"

"About me? Or just the way I'm holding you?"

"Both," Leigh said softly as she glanced away from his probing cobalt eyes. 

_Watching every motion_

_In my foolish lover's game_

_On this endless ocean_

_Finally lovers know no shame_

The words of the song finally began to penetrate Leigh's brain. She felt the warmth of his hand through the heavy satin of her dress. Her eyes flickered back to his. They were gazing at her with heated intensity. "Stop looking at me like that," she whispered. 

"Like what?" he asked as he rubbed his thumb over the smooth skin on the back of her hand, keeping his eyes on hers. 

_Turning and returning_

_To some secret place inside_

_Watching in slow motion_

_As you turn around and say_

"Like that," she said weakly as she lowered her eyes. The mere brushing of his thumb was making her skin tingle all over. 

Jonathon pulled her a little closer until the hem of her dress was brushing against his pant leg. "I still don't know what you mean Leigh."

_Take my breath away_

_Take my breath away_

She felt his breath brush against her temple. Her eyes closed involuntarily. Her hand tightened on his shoulder. "Jonathon," she said faintly.

The scent of her perfume was driving him slightly crazy from being this close to her. Hell, his entire body was going haywire from being this close to her. He smiled when he heard her say his name. 

_Watching I keep waiting_

_Still anticipating love_

_Never hesitating _

_To become the fated ones_

Each brush of his body against hers was making her feel warm. Warm color returned her cheeks as she felt his fingers dance lightly on her spine. Her legs were beginning to feel like jello.

Jonathon could feel his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. He wanted to tilt her head back and kiss her until she was melting against him, but there were too many people around. And there was Ling across the room talking to Wufei. He bent his head over hers a little, brushing his lips against her lustrous midnight hair. 

_Turning and returning_

_To some secret place to hide_

_Watching in slow motion_

_As you turn to me and say (my love)_

Leigh felt it. A small smile crossed her lips. Her eyes opened and she lifted them to meet his.

He stared into her eyes. They were gleaming with what she still felt towards him. A shadow fell across them as he maneuvered her out to the connecting atrium. He lifted their entwined hands until her hand was lying on his shoulder and he curved his other hand around her waist. He laced his fingers together at the small of her back. There was no way he was going to let this opportunity pass him by. 

_Take my breath away_

Leigh felt her breath catch in her throat as she felt his cheek press against hers, his breath tickling her ear. Goosebumps traveled down her neck. Her arms slid around his neck, locking loosely. 

Jonathon closed his eyes. It was torture, but at the same time, it was heaven. She was pressed completely against him. And what made it even better, was that they were all alone. No one was in here except for them. He tightened his hold on her, not wanting to let her go. 

_Through the hourglass I saw you_

_In time you slipped away_

_When a mirror crashed I called you_

_And you turned to hear you say_

Their feet were barely moving now. They were almost standing still, just swaying gently to the music that drifted out to them. The feelings between them, unspoken, but always there.

She loved him. She knew that there would be no one else that she loved like him. 

He knew there would be no one else like her. He loved her too much to let her go, but still unsure of how to tell her that he loved her all along. Part of him was scared to, but the other part of him was telling him to tell her before she slipped away completely. He lifted his head to look her in the face again. 

_If only for today, I am unafraid_

Leigh returned his steady gaze. "Jonathon," she whispered again.

Jonathon reached up and traced the flawless planes of her face with his fingertips, reveling in the silky quality of her skin. "Shh," he whispered back, his fingers coming to rest against her lips. 

_Take my breath away_

_Take my breath away_

Her breath caught in her throat again at the contact. Her lips felt like they were on fire from the simple touch. She could see deep emotion in his fathomless eyes, but his proximity was too much for her to think clearly and pinpoint the emotion she was reading in his eyes. 

He rubbed his finger over her soft red lips. "Leigh."

_Watching in slow motion_

_In this foolish lover's game_

_Haunted by the notion_

_Somewhere there's a love in flames_

Her heart slammed against her ribs. "Yes?" she breathed.

"Leigh I…"

_Turning and returning _

_To some secret place inside_

_Watching in slow motion_

_As you turn to me and say_

Her heart rate tripled as she waited to hear what he was going to say. 

He felt his mouth go a little dry and some of his uncertainties return. But he pushed it down. He had to do it. 

_Take my breath away_

_My love, take my breath away_

She felt his hand cup her chin as he lowered his mouth closer to hers. She could feel his breath against her lips. "Yes?" she prompted breathlessly. 

Jonathon could feel her pulse racing under his fingers as they strummed her neck. She was looking up at him with expectation. "Leigh, I…"

_My love_

_Take my breath away_

Her nose touched his. _"Is he going to say what I think he's trying to say?"_

He took a deeper breath. _"This is it. The moment of truth. There is no going back."_

_My love _

_Take my breath away_

The music gradually began to fade. 

"Leigh, I lo…"

"LEIGH! Where are you?"

Leigh jumped, startled. Her eyes went to the open greenhouse doors, which her father was fast approaching by the volume of his voice. 

Jonathon jumped as well, his hand falling away from her face. He took a step back. His eyes went to Leigh's.

Her eyes had shot back to his. "What were you going to say?" she rushed. 

"LEIGH!"

"I…"

"LEIGH PO!"

"Jonathon!" she pleaded. 

His eyes bounced towards the door and back towards her. He could see Wufei's shadow on the tiled floor. The mood was broken and his uncertainty crashed down on him, breaking down the little bit of resistance he had built up to tell her. He shook his head. "I can't do it," he muttered as he swiftly turned on his heel and disappeared into the foliage. 

Leigh's mouth fell open wordlessly and a lump rose in her throat as she watched him leave. Her eyes blinked in confusion at his quick departure. 

"Leigh, there you are," Wufei said as he came into the greenhouse. "I was looking for you."

She turned and looked at her father. She gave him a thin smile. "You were?"

He nodded his head. "I was wondering where you got to."

"I was out here, thinking," she lied quietly as her eyes went back towards the greenery. 

"Anything in particular?"

"No, it was nothing dad. Nothing at all important. I just wanted to get away from the crowd for a moment or too. It was a little warm in there."

"That's understandable. Are you ready to come back in now?" Wufei asked as he placed an arm around her shoulder. 

"Yes," Leigh said in a faint voice. She walked out with him, her head turning to look over her shoulder as she left the atrium. Her heart twisted into a knot. _"What was he trying to tell me? Was he trying to tell me that he loved me? What was it? My dad just had to interrupt at the wrong moment!"_

******************************************************************************

Jonathon slammed his hands on the plate glass walls. He was cursing himself virulently in English, German, French, and a little of the Chinese that he picked up off of Leigh. He felt like punching his hand through the glass. He pulled back his hand to do so, when someone else caught it. He turned and saw the solemn face of his older brother. "Go away," he snarled. 

Chris had seen his brother dance Leigh into the atrium. He had kept his eyes on it the entire time during the song. He had seen Wufei approaching it, apparently looking for his daughter. He had started to walk quickly over, in hopes of cutting him off, but he wasn't fast enough. A moment or to later, Leigh came out with him, looking over her shoulder, obviously distressed. He had a gut instinct on what had just happened. He could hear Jonathon cursing angrily as soon as he entered the atrium, shutting the doors behind him. He looked at him now. His eyes were black, seething with anger. He raised his hands in supplication. "I didn't come out here to badger."

Jonathon snorted and gave his brother his back. 

"I just came out here to save your hand from getting bloodied up and making mom freak out."

"CHRIS…" Jonathon ground out between clenched teeth.

"Okay, okay," sighed Chris as he took a step back. "Just don't take your anger out on the plate glass there. It'll break a lot faster then me, if you decide you want to hit me instead."

"That sounds like an appealing idea," Jonathon snapped as he turned and faced Chris. He swung a fist at him, only to have it blocked. "I thought you said I could hit you."

"I did. I just didn't say I wouldn't protect myself from those sledgehammers you call fists," Chris added as he returned the punch, only to have it blocked as well. "What were you doing out here with Leigh?"

Jonathon narrowed his eyes even more. "None of your damn business." He threw another punch that connected with Chris's jaw. 

Chris staggered back a few steps. He absently rubbed the back of his hand across it. He moved it around before giving his brother a look. "Man, you are pissed. That wasn't even one of your harder punches."

"You want harder. Fine," Jonathon gritted out as he took another swing. 

Chris dodged it and took the time to slam his fist into his brother's cheekbone, making him stagger back a few paces. "You missed."

Jonathon rubbed his cheek with his hand. "You're not putting a lot of effort into it Chris." 

"I'm not trying to beat the shit out of you. Just wear you down a little."

Jonathon said nothing, but his left fist finally connected with Chris's cheek.

It took a minute for Chris to recover from that blow. He shrugged out of his navy jacket, leaving him in the French blue dress shirt and matching silk tie. 

Jonathon lowered his fists and shrugged off his charcoal jacket before raising them again. "Come on big brother."

Chris rolled his eyes. He knew this might take awhile. 

******************************************************************************

David eyes went to the closed doors of the atrium again. He had seen Chris close the doors behind him and he hadn't come out. He looked at his watch again. It had been fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes since Leigh and Wufei had come out of there and twenty five minutes since he saw Jonathon dance Leigh in there. He sighed and looked over at Kellie, who was surrounded by women, gushing over her ring. He mentally cringed and slipped away towards the atrium doors. He let out a breath of relief once he was inside. "Thank God," he said as he rolled his head on the door. He heard the sounds of his brothers. He winced as he heard a flesh slapping sound. He walked forwards through the foliage to the far wall, where he saw Chris and Jonathon. He noted the bruise on Chris's jaw and cheek and the blood trickling from his lip. He looked over at Jonathon, who also had a bruise on his cheek and was bleeding from his nose. "You two look like hell."

Jonathon lowered his fists and looked over at David. "Don't piss me off unless you want the shit kicked out of you too."

David arched a brow and then looked over at Chris. "What happened?"

"I think it was Wufei that happened," Chris replied.

Jonathon growled.

David nodded his head in understanding. "You trying to cool him off?"

"Trying, but the dope still has a lot of fight left in him," Chris said as he wiped the blood from his lip with his thumb. 

"Your wife is going to kill you if she sees you like this," David commented as he shrugged off his light charcoal jacket, leaving him in a white dress shirt and a silvery gray silk tie.

"I'll just tell her it was for a good cause," Chris answered.

"Well come on, are you going to talk or do I have to hit you again," Jonathon snapped, his eyes flickering dangerously. 

David sighed and rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. "I'll take over for awhile Chris," he said as he balled up his fists. 

"Makes no difference to me who it is," Jonathon said as he threw a punch at David. 

David blocked it, but he could feel the force behind it. He gave Chris a quick glance. "He's really ticked isn't he?"

"More then you know," Chris said as he leaned against the wall to watch. 

David sighed and threw a right hook, which connected with Jonathon's jaw. He winced slightly again at the sound. "Kellie's going to kill me if she finds out about this," he muttered under his breath. 

"Just tell her the same as I'll tell Vic. It was for a good cause," Chris said again. 

"Kellie is the least of your worries right now little brother," Jonathon snapped as his fist connected with David's lip. 

David took a few steps back. He wiped his hand across his mouth. A little blood came away with it. "Dammit, you're not kidding," he mumbled as he began throwing more rapid punches. 

Fifteen minutes later…

The three of them were leaning against the wall, sitting on the cool tile floor. Each with substantial injuries. 

"Kellie is going to have a fit," David muttered as he wiped the blood away from his nose with a tissue he had in his pocket. He had bruise on his cheek, just below his left eye. He was bleeding from his nose and lip. 

"Just think of what I'm going t to tell Victoria," Chris replied as he wiped away some of the blood from his split lip. His jaw was swelling and there was a defined bruise on his right cheek.

"You two worry too much," Jonathon said with his eyes closed. He had just wiped blood away from his nose and lip as well. He had two bruises on either cheek under each eye. 

"Yeah, this is just enough for mom to get upset," David replied.

"But it served a purpose," Chris said as he sat up a little, "it took some of the fight out of him."

"That's the only thing it accomplished," David said as he stood up slowly. "Now, we have to take care of the mess we made of ourselves in the kitchen with ice."

"Like that'll hide anything," Jonathon snorted as he stood up as well.

"Well it's better then tell someone that you were pissed because Wufei interrupted whatever was going on with you and Leigh, while you were in here earlier," Chris pointed out.

Jonathon growled at the mention of Wufei's name again. 

David eyed him warily as they shrugged on their suit jackets. "Better not say his name again Chris. I kind of don't want to be in here all night to be a punching bag for him."

Chris sighed as he started walking towards the doors. He peeked out and made sure that no one would notice them sneaking along the wall to the kitchen. He nodded his head towards his brothers and the three of them slid along the wall and into the crowded kitchen filled with caterers' assistants. He found a bag of ice that was being used to keep the food cold. He doled it out in dishtowels as they sat down at the table. He winced as he pressed it against him. "I hope you feel better now," he mumbled at Jonathon.

"You were the one who offered to be the punching bag," Jonathon said blandly as he pressed the ice on his cheek. 

"Better then you slamming your fist threw plate glass," Chris retorted. 

"Yeah, then mom would really have a fit," David remarked as he rested the ice against his jaw.

"Where in the hell have you three been?" Duo demanded as he pushed his way into the kitchen.

The three of them flinched in their chairs guiltily; glad that their dad could only see their backs at the moment. 

"I had to rescue your wife and your fiancée from those harpies, and your date is wondering where the hell you are," Duo snapped as he walked over to them. His eyes widened when he saw their faces. "What in God's name did you do to each other?"

"We let Jonathon use us as a punching bag rather then have him slam his hand through a plate glass window," Chris replied, wincing again as he spoke. 

"Your mother is going to have a fit," Duo muttered as he gave them measured looks. "Victoria and Kellie are going to have your asses for this. And I have no idea what Morgan will do to you. Why did you need a punching bag in the first place?"

Jonathon didn't reply but slunk down in his chair. 

"I think it had to something with Wufei and Leigh," David replied, earning a nasty look from Jonathon. 

"Wufei interrupted whatever Jonathon and Leigh were doing out in the atrium," Chris said as he pressed the ice on his jaw. 

Duo turned his eyes towards his second son. "What were you trying to tell her? I thought you two really broke up this time?"

Jonathon pushed out of his chair and looked out the window behind the table. "It was nothing," he said in a low voice. 

"It must have been something to make you mad enough to use your brothers as punching bags?" Duo prodded. 

Jonathon whirled around to face his dad. "I was trying to tell Leigh that I lo…oh hell what does it matter," he finished softly. 

David and Chris exchanged surprised looks.

Duo tilted his head to one side, obviously confused. "What were you trying to say to her?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," he muttered as he left the kitchen, the door swinging behind him. 

Duo looked after him, his brow wrinkled in puzzlement. He looked back at Chris and David. "Did I miss something?"

"Doesn't dad know?" Chris asked David. 

"Know what?"

"Jonathon was trying to tell Leigh that he loved her," David said simply. 

Duo's mouth fell open slightly. 

"Dad, he's never told her," Chris said as he pushed his chair away from the table. 

"Is that what's been bothering him since August?" Duo asked, looking to the unmoving door. 

"More or less. He loves her, but he scared to death of telling her." David raked his hand through his hair. 

"And he knew that he had to tell her, but he tends to screw it up. The one thing he lacks the courage to do, is to admit that he loves her to her face." Chris closed his eyes. "And we've been telling him that since the summer and he hasn't been able to do it."

Duo looked at the tile under his feet. _"Another one of my kids with a messed up love life. This year was not the most pleasant one." _"I don't know what to say. I know this is something that no one can help him with. He'll have to do this alone. He'll work up the courage." He looked out into the night. "Or else it might be too late for him for good."

******************************************************************************

Jonathon sent Morgan over to his mother to tell her that he was leaving and to have dad take her home. She understood that he needed to be alone. She had expressed her disapproval by her expression, but she had said nothing. He snitched a bottle of liquor from the bar and headed out to his truck in the driveway. He drove back to his home and walked out to the edge the yard, overlooking the cliff. He pulled his jacket and tie off, unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt, and untucked it. He sat down on the grass and opened the bottle of rum. He drank a mouthful and swallowed it, ignoring the burning sensation it made as it slid down his throat. His eyes clenched shut as he took another swig from the bottle. He wiped his mouth with the back of his other hand. He could hear the sound of the water hitting the base of the cliff below and see the twinkling lights of the city below. A lone horn sounded as a ship came into the port. "All alone. All alone, just like me," he snorted mirthlessly. "I just can't tell her can you Jonathon? You knew you would screw it up," he muttered at himself. He propped his arms on his knees, his eyes starting sightlessly into the unseasonably cool December night. "I should just give her up. I'll never be able to tell her. This was all a mistake. Falling in love with her was all a mistake," he groaned as his cobalt eyes looked at the clear alcohol in the bottle that dangled in front of his face. He pulled the chain from under the collar of his shirt and looked at the ring in the silvery moonlight. It sparkled brightly. "Can you hear this Leigh, I love you. I always loved you. I'm sorry that I can't tell you the words that you want to hear me say. Forgive me for being the coward that I am," he said as he hung his head down. He didn't cry though. His tears were all gone now. His heart however, ached terribly, making it hard to breathe. "I can't love you completely unless I give you up," he said softly as he fell back on the grass and closed his eyes to the starry sky overhead.

***Song "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin**

_A/N: I know, I know, I'm really cruel! (Cringes slightly) I promise, it'll get better, just not yet. I have it already planned out so be patient. Hoped you liked it anyway! There will be more coming soon! XOXO!_


	12. A Passionate Memory

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids LRT Normal Jennifer 2 1 2001-11-07T06:23:00Z 2001-11-07T06:23:00Z 11 3921 22354 Cabrini College 186 44 27452 9.3821 

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

Warring Hearts, Part 11 

**__**

Leigh didn't say anything as she let Ling drive her home from the engagement party. Her mind was still trying to comprehend what had happened in the atrium with Jonathon. A little part of her was hoping that he was trying to say that he loved her. She sighed. It was wishful thinking though. She had thought it strange however that Chris and David both disappeared towards the end of the party and when she caught a glimpse of the two of them, they looked like that had been in a street fight. She was curious to why they looked like that, but deep down she knew that it had to do with Jonathon. 

Ling looked over at her as he pulled to a stop in front of her home. She had been quiet by the time she came back from dancing with Jonathon. He was a little curious why he hadn't brought her back. He was a little curious though to as why Wufei was not keen on Jonathon or any other Maxwell. He had his own opinions on the Maxwell offspring. They were all big kids at heart. They seemed like they were always the pranksters; the constant "bad" kids out of the entire lot of Gundam pilot offspring. "We're here," he said as he turned off the engine.

She looked up from her musings. She gave him a faint smile. 

He smiled back at her and got out to open the door for her. He rested his hand on the small of her back as he walked her to the front door. "Are you ok?" he asked, concerned. 

"I'm fine," she replied. "What made you ask that?" she asked as she struggled to fit her key in the lock.

"You just seem upset about something. Ever since you came back from dancing with Jonathon you've been a little jumpy."

"Jonathon just said something to me, that's all."

Ling frowned slightly. "What did he say that upset you?"

"It was nothing. Jonathon frequently upsets every woman he comes in contact with," Leigh replied nervously as she finally got the door open and walked inside the dark house. 

He followed her in as she went to the kitchen. "Do you want me to say something to him?"

"No!" she said loudly, and then noticing his widening eyes, "No, it's all right. I can handle Jonathon. I grew up with him remember. There isn't a thing he's said that I haven't heard before."

"Are you sure?" he pressed as he pressed his hand on her back, rubbing it up and down. 

"I'm sure," Leigh said hastily. She looked at the clock. "It's getting late."

He looked over at the clock as well. "Yeah, in about an hour, it'll be Christmas day." He looked back at her. "And since I can't be with you tomorrow, I wanted to give you your gift."

Leigh's eyes widened. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"But you celebrate it and I wanted to get you something anyway even if I don't," he said warmly as he led her into the family room where the tree was. He pulled her down on the couch next to him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flat rectangular box.

Her eyes sprung back to his. She felt her stomach tighten. 

"Here." He placed the gift in her hands. "Go on, open it."

Leigh hesitated, but she gently tore the golden paper off the box. She stared at the black leather box rimmed in gold. She took a deep breath and opened it. Blood red rubies glittered on their bed of black velvet. "Oh my."

"Do you like it?" 

She picked up the bracelet, making the gold gleam in the bright light. "It's beautiful," she gasped.

"I thought of you when I saw it. I know it's a little much, but I really wanted to get it for you," he said as he took it from her fingers and clasped it around her wrist. 

Leigh held it up in the light. The rubies and the gold winked at her. "I don't know what to say Ling. You shouldn't have though."

"I know I shouldn't have, but I wanted to. I wanted to because I love you."

Her eyes shot to his, startled by his pronouncement. Her heart thudded loudly in her ears. 

"I know we've been together for a short time, but I know that I do. I think I have since I met you Leigh."

She was shocked. She would have never thought she would hear those words. It made part of her happy to hear that a man loved her, but a part of her was saddened by it. It was coming from the wrong man. She felt tears well in her eyes. 

Ling saw them. "I didn't make you cry, did I?" He put his arm around her and pulled her close. 

Leigh pushed them back, sniffling a little. "They're nothing," she replied tearfully. "I…I …love…you too."

He felt his heart swell with happiness. He gently pressed his lips against hers. He smiled when he pulled away. He wiped the tears off her soft cheeks and kissed her again. "I love you Leigh."

She smiled a little as she kissed him back. 

Ling pulled away again. "I think I should go now. I'll call you later tomorrow," he said as he gazed into her ice blue eyes. 

Leigh gave him a watery smile as she rose and walked him to the front door. "I'll be looking forward to it," she replied quietly. 

He squeezed her hand and walked back down the walk to his car. He felt a lot better now that he had finally told her. "The woman of my dreams loves me back," he said as he climbed into his car. He grinned into the mirror and pulled out. 

She closed the door behind her and locked it. She leaned against it. The cool metal dangled from her wrist. She held it up to the hall light. The rubies gave off a fiery red light. She turned off the lights downstairs and made her way to her room. She closed the door behind her, her smile finally fading as she realized what she had done. She closed her eyes as she slipped her dress off and hung it on the hanger, leaving her in black satin lingerie.  She caught her reflection in the mirror inside the closet. Her eyes fell on the golden cross resting between her breasts. Tears welled up in her eyes again. "Oh no," she whispered brokenly as she placed her hand over her heart. It hurt terribly. She knew that she didn't love Ling. She wanted to believe that she could love him and if she said the words she could believe it. "Oh Jonathon," she whimpered as she let her head fall back, letting the tears stream down her cheeks. She sat down on the edge of her bed. "I can't cry. I won't cry," she told herself as she lay back. She grabbed her remote and flipped on her stereo. A particular song caught her notice. It made her heart ache a little more as she remembered what the song represented. __

I've been lonely 

_I've been waiting for you_

She threw her clothes in the dryer, slamming it. She swiped at her wet hair as it hung in her face. She walked briskly back into the kitchen and sat down on the chair, pulling a comb though her hair at the same time. There was a knock on the door. She gritted her teeth. "GO AWAY!" she yelled in the empty house. She yanked the comb through again as there was another knock at the door. She slapped the comb down on top of the table and stalked to the front door. She stared at it for a moment. "GO AWAY!"  She crossed her arms over the dry black tank she was wearing. The door rattled again. She clenched her teeth and threw open the front door. "I TOLD YOU…" Her lips parted in surprise as he stepped in. Water dripped from his bangs to the hardwood floor. She shut the door behind him, locking it. "What do you want?" she asked belligerently as she crossed her arms again. 

****

**_"I'm sorry," Jonathon, whispered as he got down on his knees in front of her, wrapping his arms about her waist, pressing his face against her stomach. _**

****

**_She looked down at him with astonishment. She could feel the cold water seeping through her dry clothes. She never thought in a million years he would tell her that he was sorry. They hadn't been dating that long yet and it wasn't the first time that she had blown up at him. She had forced him to pull over and she walked home in the pouring rain, too angry to sit next to him any longer. She tentatively reached up with one hand and laid it on the top of his head. Her earlier anger at him evaporated at his words. She loved him that much. "I know. I'm sorry too," she said softly. _**

I'm pretending and that's all I can do

The love I'm sending

Ain't making it through to your heart

**She smiled slightly when he looked up at her. Beads of rain clung to his face. She pushed his bangs off of his forehead. His arms were still wrapped about her waist, his clothes soaking hers. She saw him about to say something, but she shook her head and pressed a finger against his lips. "You don't have to say anymore." He smiled a little at her and stood up, his height making him tower over her. Then before she could even say anything more, he was kissing her. She tilted her head back under the gentle pressure of his mouth. Her back hit the wall behind her, sandwiching her between him and it. Her arms locked loosely about his neck as warmth began to spread throughout her body from this assault on her senses. She felt his hands grip her waist a little tighter before sliding up under her breasts. She gasped as his thumbs brushed over her nipples. "Jonathon?" she asked as his mouth left hers to trail down the side of her neck. **

**"Hmm?"**

**Her eyes closed again as his tongue stroked the base of her throat. Her skin was tingling from his touch. "You're…you're making a puddle on the floor," she said breathlessly. She looked up at the cobalt eyes staring down at her. Tiny flames were flickering in their depths. Her heart thudded hard against her ribs. "Maybe I should throw your clothes in the dryer with mine," she said faintly, "I wouldn't want you to catch cold."**

**"If you say so," he replied, taking a step back from her. **

You've been hiding-never letting it show Always trying to keep it under control 

She started walking quickly down the hall towards the kitchen and the laundry room. She felt his eyes on her as she walked in front of him. She felt a little self-conscious in the boy cut panties she was wearing that matched the tank top. She turned to face him once they reached the laundry room. She clasped her hands nervously behind her as his eyes continued to travel over her. She raked her teeth across her lips. "Well?" She watched as he arched a brow at her. 

"Could you help?"

"Sure," she said with uncertainty as she took a step forwards. She reached up and pushed his windbreaker off his shoulders and down his arms, tossing it over the rack. She raised her eyes to his as his fingers slipped on the buttons of his shirt. He gave her a soulful look. She sighed slowly and reached up with her hands, slipping the buttons from their holes. Her blood was rushing in her ears as the dark blue shirt parted under her hands, revealing his tanned torso beneath. She swallowed hard as she pushed it from his broad shoulders and down the muscled arms. She threw it in the open dryer before making a move to step away. His hand grasped one of her wrists and pressing her palm over his heart. His skin felt hot under her hand. His heart thudded against her palm. 

You got it down and you're well On your way to the top 

_But there's something that you forgot_

The only sound she could hear was the pounding of their hearts and the splattering of rain on the roof. She raked her teeth across her lips again, raising her eyes to his. "You don't feel cold," she said softly. 

****

**_"No," he smirked as he took a step closer to her. _**

****

**_Her breathing became erratic as his mouth got closer to hers. And just as his lips were to meet hers, "I have to get a towel," she stammered as she pulled away and left the laundry room. She walked hurriedly to the linen closet and pulled out a towel. "Stop acting like a baka girl, Leigh. You're twenty years old," she berated herself as she made her way back to the laundry room. She averted her eyes from his when she noticed that all he was wearing now were dark red boxers. "Here," she said as she handed him the towel. She wasn't expecting him to go for her wrist at the same time, pulling her against him and his mouth crash against hers. Her eyes flew open in startlement, but at the same time, it thrilled her. _**

What about love 

_Don't you want someone to care about you_

She could feel his hands smoothing over her hips, before curving around her rear end. Her body flooded with heat at the passion in the kiss as his tongue insinuated its way into her mouth. She clung to him, afraid if she let go she would fall into a boneless mass on the floor. She jumped slightly when she felt his hands sliding up under her tank. 

****

**_"Maybe we should take this off since I got it all wet too," he breathed against her mouth. _**

****

**_She whimpered her assent as he gathered up the cotton in his hands and pushed it up over her head, tossing it to the floor. She let out a rush of air as their skin came back into contact. Her skin burned wherever they touched. Her nerve endings were crackling. She had never done any of this before. She hadn't even let him before, but his hands were eliciting chills up and down her spine and his mouth on hers was driving every coherent thought out of her mind. Her hands gripped his arms in an effort to keep herself upright. Water still dripped from his hair as it brushed against her face. She whimpered helplessly again as his hands slid between them to cover her breasts. It caused her breath to catch sharply in her throat. She felt his mouth leave hers. She opened her eyes and looked up at the intent cobalt ones staring at her. A slight flush crept up her cheeks from the heat in his gaze.  _**

What about love 

_Don't let it slip away_

**_"What?" she asked faintly._**

****

**_"You're shaking."_**

****

**_"I'm not," she protested weakly. _**

**_"Are you nervous?"_**

****

**_She swallowed hard. She was, but she didn't want to readily admit it to him. She felt his hand come up and cup her chin gently, his thumb brushing over her lips. _**

****

**_"We can stop."_**

****

**_Her heart rate doubled at the sincerity in his voice and in his eyes. "No, we don't have to stop," she replied quietly as she slid her hands up around his neck, drawing his face down to hers. She kissed him, nipping at his lips until he took the initiative and kissed her back.  The kiss grew increasingly erotic as the minutes ticked by. He was pressing her body between him and the dryer so there would be no way she could miss how she was affecting him. His erection pressed meaningfully at the juncture of her thighs. She arched her body slightly, making him growl. She did it again until her toes were barely touching the floor. _**

What about love 

_I only want to share it with you_

_You might need it someday_

****

She heard him growl again. It sent a trill of satisfaction through her body by knowing that she was affecting him a great deal. His lips left hers again. She looked up at him with heavy lidded eyes. "What?"  
  


**_"God didn't ordain that the first time I make love to you it would be in the laundry room," he replied as he swept her up in his arms and carried her to her room. _**

****

**_Her knees pressed against his hips as he lay on top of her. She could feel her nerve endings popping and sizzling like mad. He was pressing harder against her, making her feel weak inside… and making her wet. His breathing was labored as he stripped her of her last article of clothing. She arched her throat against his mouth as he moved lower and lower. She felt his one hand slid up the inside of her thigh at the same time his mouth found her breast. Her breath caught in her throat as his fingers deliberately slid inside her. She let out a drawn out sigh as they moved, making pleasurable feelings shoot through her. _**

I can't tell you what you're feeling inside 

_And I can't tell you what you don't want to buy_

****

"Oh God," she groaned as his mouth traveled over her stomach and further still. Then she didn't even feel his fingers anymore. She felt his mouth instead. Her hands gripped the sheets under her as he applied his tongue. It caused an avalanche of feelings to rip through her. "Jonathon…" she gasped out. The feelings soon ebbed a little, but her body still throbbed with them. She felt his mouth cover hers again. She could taste herself on his mouth, which made her even hotter. Then she felt him pressing against her insistently. A little panic flooded her momentarily. Her eyes flew open to meet his. They were looking down at her with adoration and something else she couldn't readily define. 

****

**_"Relax Leigh. I don't want to hurt you," he said in a strained tone as his hands slid under her. _**

**_Her breathing became irregular. "I know." Her breathing hitched again as he slid partially inside her. Her body immediately tensed. Her hands tightened on his arms. She knew her movements alerted him to stop because she felt his body still. "Don't…stop…I'll be okay," she breathed._**

****

**_"Okay. I'm sorry," he whispered back._**

****

**_She nodded her head on the pillow. Then he kissed her at the same time he pushed forwards. Her nails knifed through his skin as a burning pain shot though her. His mouth muffled the sound of her choked gasp. Her eyes clenched tight as he kissed her cheeks tenderly. _**

****

**_"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Relax sweetheart," he said in her ear. _**

Something's missing and you got to 

_Look back on your life_

_You know something here just ain't right_

She forced her body to loosen up some. She could feel him inside of her, unmoving. It felt good at the same time it felt painful. "Jonathon…move inside me."

****

**_"Are you sure?"_**

****

**_"Yes…yes." She took in another gulp of air as he moved tentatively at first. A rush went through her, nearly blotting out all the pain. Her nails left neat marks in his arms. More sensations began to move through her as he thrust inside of her, each one better then the last. Her skin began to tingle and she felt the dam of sensations beginning to pile up. She bit her lip to hold back the whimpers in her throat, but she couldn't. One after another they escaped her lips. Her hands clenched spasmodically on his forearms. It was getting to be too much. "Now…" she rasped out. He seemed to understand what she was asking for and each stroke became a little harder. She came in a sudden rush as everything inside of her exploded. "I love you," she said in a long drawn out sigh. _**

****

What about love 

_Don't you want someone to care about you_

She smiled against his mouth as he kissed her again. It was sweet and loving. Her hands gradually released their hold on his arms to slide up around his neck. She felt his begin to move again, harder then before. Her eyes locked on his above her. He bent his head and touched his nose to hers. She closed her eyes briefly at the gesture. His hair, now just damp brushed her forehead as he kept his mouth close to hers. Her eyes opened again to look into his. She had never seen them that blue before. Her hands tightened on his shoulders again as a rush went through her and he groaned her name against her lips. Her knees pressed hard against his hips as his body poured itself into hers. 

****

**_"God…Leigh," he groaned again against her mouth. _**

****

**_"Jonathon," she sighed as she closed her eyes. She felt his face against her neck. His breathing was hard as was hers. Her arms wrapped around his back. She was amazed how he was keeping most of his weight off of her. She looked up at him once he moved to her side, drawing her against him. She was mesmerized by the look in his eyes as she his fingers traced her face. She caught his hand with hers and pressed it against her lips. She saw that angel like smile light his face as he pulled her against him. The cross around his neck glinted in the golden lamplight. "I love you," she whispered again. _**

****

What about love 

_Don't let it slip away_

"I know," he replied as he pressed a kiss on the top of her head. 

****

**_She quirked a smile against his chest, a little disturbed that he hadn't said it back. But she knew that it might take him some time to say it. She couldn't mistake the feeling in his eyes though. She knew that he cared about her a great deal. It was all right for now. _**

****

What about love 

_I only want to share it with you_

After a while, she lay there in his arms. She wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep or not, but she could feel the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest under her palms. She leaned away a little and looked up at him. He wasn't asleep. He was watching her. She flushed a little under his scrutiny. "What?" 

****

**_"You're so beautiful that's all."_**

****

**_Her blush deepened even more at his compliment. She lowered her eyes as he pushed her tangled hair back over her shoulder. _**

****

**_"Look at me?" he asked gently. _**

****

**_She looked up at him. He didn't say anything, but he continued to touch her face with his fingertips. She leaned in to his caress and then touched her mouth to his. "Jonathon…"_**

****

She was startled out of her thoughts when there was a knock at her door. "Who is it?" she called as she got up off her bed. She pulled out a shirt from the drawer along with loose fitting sweatpants, throwing them over her lingerie. 

"It's me sweetheart," Sally called though the door. 

What about love 

_Don't you want someone to care about you_

"Come in," Leigh yelled as she sat back down on the edge of her bed. She tugged at the shirt absently, not realizing it was one of Jonathon's that she had snitched way back. 

Sally pushed open the door, closing it behind her. She observed her daughter critically. "Lost in thought about something?"

"No," Leigh lied, as her mother came over and sat down on the side of the bed. "I didn't hear you guys come in." **_"If you count thinking about hot sex with Jonathon counts as nothing."_**

"You have the music turned up a little dear," Sally said with an amused smile. She looked down and saw the glittering bracelet gracing her daughter's wrist. "So Ling drop you off?"

_What about love_

_Don't let it slip away_

"Yes, a while ago," Leigh answered as she looked away. 

"Early Christmas gift?" Sally asked as she picked up Leigh's wrist and looked at the rubies.

"Yes," Leigh said softly as she pulled her arm out of her mother's grasp. She looked at the bracelet again. "He said when he saw it, it reminded him of me." She touched it with her fingers. 

"I see," Sally said as she looked at the expression on Leigh's face. She didn't look thrilled at all. She eyed the cross dangling around her neck. She knew that it was Jonathon's. And she knew that her daughter never took it off. She reached out and lifted it away from her neck. "Let me ask you something Leigh. Which one is it? The bracelet or the necklace? Which one means more to you?"

Leigh was taken aback by her mother's question. She looked at the cross dangling from the end of the long chain and the bracelet glistening around her wrist. She closed her eyes. 

"Let me make it easier for you dear. The two men that gave you these, which one do you love?"  
  


Leigh took the cross out of her mother's hand and looked at it as it rested in her palm. Her eyes went to the bracelet. She closed her eyes. "I love the one that gave me the cross," she replied quietly.

Sally smiled knowingly. "Then why do you pay lip service to loving the other?"  
  


"I don't know mom! I'm trying to convince myself of that! I want to feel something more then just like, but I can't! I thought if I said those words I would believe them and I don't."

"Did you really expect that dear? When someone else rules your heart, no one else is going to take his place. You'll love the one who rules your heart. It's that simple. So no matter what you do Leigh and no matter what your father is attempting to do, you will always love him. You'll love Jonathon come hell or high water."  
  


Leigh smiled ruefully as she dropped the cross back against her shirt. "That's all well and good mom, but it doesn't help that he doesn't love me."

What about love 

_I only want to share it with you_

"Don't say that Leigh. I know he has to. You really think that he's never loved you or that he still loves you?"

"It doesn't help when he never says those words to convince me otherwise."

Sally sighed. She had heard this before. She shook her head. "The looks he was sending you during the party didn't show a thing to you? Leigh, the boy couldn't stop looking at you."

"Jonathon always looks at women," Leigh said blandly. 

"Not like the way he was looking at you."

Leigh's lips twitched. 

"And don't think I didn't see you dancing with him and disappear into the atrium. You might be able to sneak things around your father, but I'm a completely different story," Sally said with an arched brow. 

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean Leigh. All the times you thought you could sneak him in and out of this house without anyone noticing in the middle of the night. You think I don't know what you two were doing half the time?"

Leigh flushed guiltily. 

"Don't worry dear. I never told your father or else he would have had that boy skewered on the end of his katana. It went badly enough when you thought you were pregnant."

"Isn't my fault that he's…"

"He's too irresistible? Maxwell men seem to have that trait about them," Sally mused thoughtfully. "And you thought you could hold out against him when he first asked you out too."

"I made him work for it," Leigh replied as she crossed her arms. 

"You certainly did. I think that's why he loves you."

Leigh snorted. "I find that hard to believe."

"You started out as a challenge to him. I don't think Jonathon ever had to work that hard to get a girl to go out with him before. And I think it's because of that he fell in love with you. He loves you because he had to work to get you to go out on one date with him. He loves you, period," Sally explained. "Sometimes the deepest feelings can't be said in words," she said as she stood and took the pins out of her thick chignon, letting her light brown hair, streaked with gray fall around her shoulders. Her light sky blue eyes found her daughters. "Just look at the couples around you Leigh. Feelings are not always spoken. They can be transmitted by a look or just a simple touch. And Jonathon looks at you with love in his eyes."  
  


Leigh said nothing; She twisted the hem of the shirt in her hands. "How I wish I could believe that mom. But all we do it hurt each other. It's over. I can't go back to him now. I made my decision and I have to live with it. Plus it would probably give dad a coronary."

Sally sighed, defeated. "If you think that's what you really want Leigh." She opened the door and stepped out. She looked over her shoulder at her. "Just make sure if you think your heart can stand it. Good night," she said as she closed the door behind her. She shook her head as she made her way down the hall towards the master bedroom. "Stubborn, just like her father," she muttered under her breath. 

Leigh flopped back across the bed. "I gave him up. It's over." She stared up at the ceiling. The words of the song reverberated in her head. "What about love, don't you want someone to care about you…" She closed her eyes. "Dammit, I care, but I can't do it again. I love you but I have to give you up."

***Song "What About Love" by Heart**

A/N: Sorry this one took awhile. Things are really crazy right now since I'm trying to get my senior portfolio put together. I know this is a little long, but I hope you enjoyed it! There will be more coming soon! XOXO!


	13. Agony at Christmas

__

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 12

Jonathon flinched under Heero's gaze. The one man he was more afraid of then his own father was Heero. His eyes shot to Leigh as she stared at him. Her eyes were wide with shock, disbelief, and hurt. He swallowed hard. It had not been a pleasant twenty-four hours. He had woken up with the worst hangover he'd ever had all because of what happened with Leigh the night before. He swallowed hard when Veronica came into view. He didn't think what he had done with her two Christmas's ago would ever come to light. It was bad enough that David had caught them. It made him hate himself even more. He didn't know what to say or what to do. 

"I'll be back," Leigh said, softly as she stood up and left the room. Her heart twisted painfully in her chest as she turned into the formal living room, shutting the door behind her. Tears began to fall. 

He watched her leave. He wanted to go after her. The look in her eyes made his heart break even more. He saw the killing look in Wufei's eyes. He closed his briefly. He knew that Wufei was probably thinking of several ways to maim him. He made a move to stand only to come up against Heero. He blanched under the cold Prussian blue eyes. 

Duo, sensing imminent violence from Heero, grabbed his son's arm and pulled him away. "I'll talk to him Heero." He dragged his son out of the room and down the hall to the library. He could hear Kellie and David yelling at each other as he shut the door. He looked over at his son. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!"

Jonathon started a little, but shoved his hands into his pockets. "It was one time. I only kissed her. You really think I would sleep with her."  


Duo raked his hands through his hair. "I swear you kids are going to kill me with what you pull. Can you at least tell me why?"

"I was on the rebound from Leigh when she dumped me. I wasn't thinking straight and Veronica came onto me. She found me all too willing to make out with. But all I did was kiss her. My hands were around her waist the entire time."

"She was underage then! If Heero had have found out then, you would have had a much bigger problem. He would have killed you outright!"

"Don't you think I know that! David found out because he walked in on it. He swore he would never tell! I didn't want anyone to know! Especially not Leigh!"

"Well she knows now!" Duo said as he looked up at the ceiling. He looked back at Jonathon. "And you might have hurt her even more."

"Don't you think I know that! My God dad, I know how stupid it was of me to even touch Veronica in the first place!" Jonathon said with exasperation. He raked his hands through his hair. 

"You should since you saw what I went through with your sister dating Miles! I may have let her go out with him, but I didn't like it! Don't you remember the pacing I would do until he brought her home?"

"I remember," Jonathon said softly as he remembered the nights that his dad would pace in the hallway upstairs, in the kitchen, in the foyer, and on the steps until Randy came home. Three and a half weeks separated Veronica and Randy in age. He also remembered the way Heero reacted when he found Chris and Victoria together. 

Duo sighed. "Just hope that Heero doesn't want to kill you. Veronica is his little girl."  


Jonathon looked up at his dad. "Dad, Veronica isn't all what she seems. She knew exactly what she was doing when she came on to me. She's not as innocent as she looks."

"Have you ever wanted her?"

"No. I could only bring myself to kiss her. I do have a conscience dad. I never had a desire to do anything more with her. All I wanted at that time was Leigh. I haven't touched another girl since I started dating Leigh."

"What about Morgan?"

"No. I never slept with her. I thought too much of her. She was too sweet, too nice of a girl. And I cared about her too much to sleep with her."

"And I know you have with Leigh. And I know that you love her," Duo said quietly. He looked down at the thick carpet under his shoes. "But I don't think anything right now will make her come back to you. Not after hearing this."

"I love her. And I would do anything to get her back, but I can't. How can I when I can't tell her that I do?" Jonathon asked in defeated voice. 

"I saw the shattered look in her eyes when she left the room. She does still love you, but I don't think she'll ever forgive you for this."

"I have to go and see how she is though. This is my fault. I know I hurt her and there's nothing I can do to reverse it, but I have to do something," Jonathon said as he walked past his dad and opened the door. 

Duo shook his head. "This is only going to bring him more heartache. But what can I do? My kids seem to have a mind of their own. Too impulsive, too temperamental, and too hardheaded to listen. Just like me I suppose." He walked out of the library. He looked down the hall. He saw the door open and Victoria stamping out, looking furious. She marched past him. He looked back and saw Chris come out rubbing his side with hand. He arched a brow at him. "And what did you do?"

"I knew about Veronica and Jonathon as well. David told me. That's one reason why my wife is pissed at me. The other reason is, I told her exactly what I thought of her sister. She punched me for that," Chris replied as he leaned against the wall. "And now, I probably get to sleep on the couch until hell freezes over or until she lets me back into bed, whatever one comes first."

Duo sighed. "And what did you say about Veronica? I haven't been hearing very flattering things about her lately."

"I told Victoria that Ver sleeps around and that she isn't the least bit discriminating."

Duo let out a low whistle. "Yeah, I can see why she would be mad at you for that and punch you. Jonathon implied it, but he didn't say anything quite like that to me a moment ago."

"Jonathon doesn't like being blunt. It gets him into trouble. That's my job. And you see what it gets me. By the way, where is he? I saw you rescuing him from the wrath of Heero Yuy."

"He's going to find Leigh."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Chris asked skeptically. "It might be better if he left her alone and not to make it worse."

"I don't think he cares if it's wise. I can't stop him any more then you could. All four of you are like that. You do what you want, regardless of the consequences."

Chris shrugged. "Not the best way to do things, but it does tend to work every now and then."

Duo sighed again. "I didn't teach you guys well enough. You're all too much like me."

"Don't blame yourself dad. Mom tried to curb it when we were little. It's just in our genes," Chris said as he put his hand on his father's shoulder. 

"Yeah, but still," Duo said as he closed his eyes, "I wish it wasn't."

******************************************************************************

Jonathon wandered down the hall, looking for her. He stopped outside each door down the side hall off of the main one. He heard crying behind the doors of the formal living room. He put his hand up on it and silently pushed it open. His eyes fell on Leigh's back as she was braced against the fireplace. Her shoulders were shaking. The formal Christmas tree gave off a warm golden glow from its soft lights and golden ornaments. He walked towards her and stood behind her. He swallowed hard. "Leigh?" he said quietly as he tentatively put his hands on her shoulders. 

Leigh lifted her head from her arms when she heard him say her name. She felt the gentle pressure of his hands on her shoulders. She stood up straight and wiped the back of her hand across her tear stained cheeks. "Just go away."

"I can't," he said softly, hearing the hurt in her voice. 

She turned around and faced him. She looked up into his. She balled up her fist and punched him in the stomach since she was so upset. "How could you!" she cried out brokenly. 

He winced slightly from her punch. "I'm sorry," he said achingly. 

"How could you? With her of all people!"

"Leigh please…"

"Don't you dare do that! How could you make out with a girl her age! Why did you!" she cried out again, her voice becoming shrill. 

"Leigh, it was two years ago, I was hurt from you and I didn't know what I was doing. I kissed her to make myself better over you."

"That's not an excuse!" Leigh shrieked as more tears began to rain down her cheeks. She punched him again. "Just how could you!" she sobbed. 

Jonathon closed his eyes at the pain he was hearing in her voice. He felt her hand hit him again. He deserved it. "I'm so, so sorry Leigh," he whispered.

She cried even harder. She pulled away from him as she tried to cover up her tears. She didn't want him to see her cry. 

He didn't let her. He pulled her against him. She fought for a moment until she slumped against him and cried into his shirt. He rubbed his hand on her back soothingly. 

Leigh clutched at his shirt under her hands as she let her tears of anger and hurt pour out of her. She could hear his steady heartbeat under her ear. 

Jonathon bent his head over hers. He could feel the hotness of her tears soaking through his shirt. He knew there was nothing that he could say or do to make her stop. He was at a loss since she never let him see her cry, even when he knew he hurt her. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead on the top of her silky hair. Her sobs were breaking his heart. "Please don't cry anymore Leigh," he whispered sadly.

Leigh cried harder against him. She was using the man that had hurt her the most to comfort her. The faint smell of his cologne clung to his shirt. He smelled like sandalwood. It made her feel a little better inside. She could hear him pleading with her softly over her tears. She choked back another sob in an effort to control herself. 

He could hear her sobs dwindle down to loud sniffles against his shirt. He could feel her grip loosening on his shirt as she regained her control. He didn't let go though. She felt too good in his arms. _"How many times have I hurt her? How many of those countless times have I made her cry? If I love her so much, why do I do this to her? She deserves someone so much better then me, but the mere thought of her with anyone else makes me want to die. Why did I agree to really end it with her when she asked me to? Why did I do it? Why am I letting her get out of my reach?" _ He smoothed one hand over her hair, his fingers twisting themselves in the thick skeins. "Leigh?"

She lifted her face away from his shirt, but kept it averted from his gaze. "What?" she sniffed.

"Look at me," he said softly as he reached up with both hands and cupped her face between them. He tilted it up to his. He could see the tearstains on her porcelain cheeks. "I'm sorry. I know no matter how many times I say that won't make a difference. But I am. I am more sorry than you could ever know. I didn't want to hurt you."

Leigh sniffled. "You see that's why."

"Why what?"

"Why you and me can't be together. I hurt you. You hurt me. It's a cycle that we can't seem to break no matter how many times we try. I can't do it anymore. I refuse to go on like that with you. That's why I broke it off for good back in August. As much as I feel for you, I won't doom myself to a life of unhappiness." She pushed away from him. She brushed back a strand of her hair that had fallen forwards. On her wrist was the bracelet that Ling had given her. Her father insisted that she wear it. 

Jonathon's eyes immediately went to the sparkling rubies. "Where did you get that?"

She lowered her arm and pulled down the sleeve of her black turtleneck sweater to hide it. "It's nothing."

"Nothing?" he repeated as he gently grasped her wrist and pushed the sleeve back up to reveal it. The rubies glowed. His eyes went to hers. "Who gave this to you?"

"Ling," Leigh said faintly as she looked at the Christmas tree behind him. She didn't want to see his eyes. 

"Ling," Jonathon intoned as he looked at her face. His lips twitched. "When?"

"Last night," her voice even fainter then before. 

He didn't say anything as he looked at the bracelet. He knew it was an expensive one too. It was similar to one that his dad had bought his mother for Christmas this year except hers were sapphires set in platinum. 

Leigh took another step back away from him until her back hit the mantle on the fireplace. "He also told me that he…he…loved…" she trailed off. 

Jonathon's eyes shot to hers. _"Ling told her that he loved her? Does that mean she loves him?"_

She could see the utter confusion in his eyes as they looked into hers. That look made her heart crack even more. 

"Do you love him?"

His question caught her off guard. Her eyes bounced away from his to look at the plush carpet. She didn't reply. 

Jonathon didn't know what to make of her silence. The ticking clock on the mantle was the only sound in the room. He blinked once. "Do you love him?" he repeated. 

Leigh closed her eyes at the sound of his voice. 

He waited again. She still didn't answer. He felt panic coming on. "Leigh, do you love him?" he asked a little more forcefully. 

Her lips twitched, but she still didn't say anything. 

"Dammit Leigh, just answer the damn question!" 

Leigh looked up at him. She could see his jaw working from either trying to reign in his temper or keep his feelings bottled up tight. She raked her teeth across her lips. "I…" she started to say, but she shook her head. 

Jonathon watched her lips move, but she stopped. His eyes narrowed involuntarily. "Can you just answer the damn question Leigh!"

Her eyes narrowed at the angry inflection in his tone. "What business is it of yours?"

"Don't push it!" he warned, bracing his hands on either side of her. 

She glared up at him. "And I'm telling you it's none of your business!"

"DO YOU OR DON'T YOU?"  
  
"YES!" she screamed at him. 

His eyes widened and his arms fell to his sides. He looked down at her flashing eyes. He was shocked. Surprised. Broken. 

Leigh's eyes widened with realization as soon as the word left her mouth. She slapped her hand over it as she saw several emotions flit across his face as he took a step away from her. _"No, no, no, no, no." _ She removed her hand and opened her mouth to say something, but he pressed a finger against her mouth to silence her. 

"You don't have to say anything. I have my answer," he said softly. He traced her lips briefly with his fingertip before letting it fall away. He just looked at her. She was so beautiful that it made his heart ache. His China doll. That flawless beauty that was stamped on every feature. He turned to leave, but he stopped and walked back to her. "I hope you're happy with him," he whispered as he bent down and placed a light kiss on her cheek. His eyes closed and he just barely touched his nose to hers before opening them. 

It was there that she saw it. 

Jonathon looked into her eyes for a moment before stepping away again. He felt like someone was twisting a knife deep in his heart, tearing it to shreds. He turned on his heel again and left the room. 

The door sounded with an audible click. Leigh jumped at the sound. "Oh God, what have I done?" she whispered to herself as she turned and looked into the gilt mirror above the mantle. "Was I so blind that I never saw it?" Her eyes sparkled with fresh tears. "He really did love me," she said brokenly. Pain, even worse then before coursed through her. "And now it's too late and it's all my fault. Oh Jonathon, forgive me for what I've done," she sobbed as she slipped to the floor and cried. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon didn't say anything as he reentered the family room. He felt several pairs of eyes on him, but he ignored them and went to stand on the far side of the room. He stared out the window. _"I lost her. I lost her. There's no hope in getting her back." _He didn't notice Wufei's approach until he was standing to the one side of him. His jaw tightened. 

"What did you do to my daughter Maxwell?" Wufei hissed.

"I didn't do a damn thing to your daughter," Jonathon bit out, still staring straight ahead. 

"That's a likely story. You always did something to hurt her one way or the other," Wufei shot back. 

Jonathon turned his head to look at the older man. "You think I liked to hurt her! No, I didn't. I hated myself every time I knew that I did."

Wufei ignored the ominous glitter that had entered the cobalt eyes in front of him. "I should say so. You hurt her one too many times. I couldn't be happier that she's with Ling!"

"I bet! Since you were the one who so conveniently set her up with him!" Jonathon growled. 

"And rightly so! I don't have to worry about her coming home upset because you did something stupid!" Wufei snapped. "I should have never let her go out with you in the first place! I should have been a little more watchful when you started taking interest in her!"

"Maybe you should have! But whether you'd like it or not, I would have dated her with or without your permission!" Jonathon gritted out. 

Wufei's face flooded with angry color. "I won't take this from you Maxwell!"

"Too damn bad since that's all you're getting! I don't have to take any of this from you either!"

"Then when I think she's all right with Ling, you just happen to come into the picture! Like tonight, she looked happy enough until your little indiscretion with Yuy's youngest got brought out into the open! You brought her even more misery!" Wufei countered furiously. "Why can't you leave her alone! Why do you have to ruin her chances at happiness!"

Jonathon's jaw worked even more to keep his temper reigned in. It was becoming a superhuman effort. His eyes flashed with a pain for a moment, knowing that he had hurt Leigh like Wufei said.

Wufei caught that momentary lapse in the dangerous shield in the younger man's eyes. "Did you see what he got her for Christmas Jonathon? That beautiful expensive bracelet?" he asked slyly. 

Jonathon flinched. 

"I see that you did," Wufei continued smoothly. "It's a lovely gift. You can see that Ling is clearly smitten with her. He's in love with her, you know. I can already see him asking her to marry him."

Jonathon saw red and without even thinking, smashed his hand through the glass. 

Wufei jumped back startled. He saw the latent violence still flickering in the cobalt eyes. 

The sound of breaking glass alerted everyone else in the room however. For a moment no one moved. 

Chris's head whipped around. 

Victoria looked up from Rhys. 

David and Kellie looked up from a wedding magazine.

Sally's eyes shot towards Wufei.

Duo and Hilde turned around startled. 

Then Hilde finally rushed over from her seat on the couch. She covered her mouth as she saw her son's hand smashed through the glass. "Oh my GOD!" Her eyes went over to Wufei and they took on a glacial quality. "What did you do to my son!" 

Wufei didn't say anything for a moment. He was still in shock over Jonathon's hand going through the glass. He looked back at the petite Hilde, glaring up at him. 

His no response infuriated Hilde even more. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye. "NO! Jonathon, don't move your hand!" she ordered as she noticed blood dripping from several long cuts on the top of his hand. It was still halfway through the window. 

Duo came over and looked at it. He sighed and then turned particularly furious eye towards Wufei. "You better not think of telling off my wife, or else you'll have me to deal with Chang. And I'm not as nice as she is," he growled. 

Wufei glared back at Duo, but said nothing and walked away. 

Duo glared at Wufei's retreating back. He snorted angrily and turned his attention back to the motionless Jonathon. He looked over his shoulder at Heero. "Need some help here. I need you to break the rest of the glass so I can pull his hand back through without cutting it more."

Heero nodded and came over. He assessed the shards of glass still left in the frame before slipping off his green dress shirt, wrapping it around his fist, and punching through the remaining glass. The glass rained down on the carpet like ice crystals. 

Jonathon didn't say anything. He blinked once as he looked down at his bleeding left hand as his dad carefully pulled it back through. He was in shock. 

"Kitchen," Relena said as she pushed open the door for them as they made their way through. She went to a drawer and pulled out towels, setting them on the counter. 

"Sally, can you take a look?" Hilde asked worriedly as she sat down behind Jonathon on the other stool. 

"Sure," Sally said as she sat down and gently lifted Jonathon's hand towards the light. She turned to look at Wufei as he leaned against the counter. "You better keep your mouth shut for the rest of the night or else there will be hell to pay." Her sky blue eyes narrowed marginally on her husband. 

Wufei shoved his hands in his pockets and left the room. "All I said was Ling could possibly ask Leigh to marry him," he muttered under his breath. 

Unfortunately for him, Duo heard it as he passed by. He grabbed the back of Wufei's shirt and slung him up against the wall. "You pompous son of a bitch! What are you trying to do to my son! Haven't you done enough by fixing Leigh up with Ling!" he all but shouted. "I don't need you making him worse off then he already is!" He slammed Wufei into the wall for emphasis. "Do I make myself clear!"

It took Heero and Trowa to pry Duo away from Wufei and Quatre pushed him out the door, with Zechs following. 

Duo was breathing hard, his temper high once again. 

"Duo please, I need you calm or else I might freak out!" Hilde said, her voice cracking slightly. 

Duo stepped away from Heero and Trowa and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he pressed a kiss on the top of her head. He looked over at Sally, who was still looking at Jonathon's hand. "Sally?"

Sally looked up from Jonathon's hand. "I can take out most of the glass. I need my bag from the car." She looked towards Merin. "Could you run out and get that for me dear?"

"Sure," Merin said as she ran out the kitchen. 

"And Jet, could you go and keep your father out of trouble?" Sally asked as she turned her attention back to her patient. 

"Okay mom," Jet said as he left the room. 

Sally waved her free hand in front of Jonathon's face. "Jonathon. Jonathon," she said again. She looked over her shoulder at Duo and Hilde. "I think he's still in shock."

Jonathon dimly heard what was going on around him. It sounded muffled and far away. His mind was still trying to process what Wufei had said to him. _"Ling could ask Leigh to marry him. Ling could ask Leigh to marry him. Ling gave her that ruby bracelet." _ He could see Sally in front of him, saying his name, but it wasn't registering with him. He blinked once, then twice. 

A frown crossed Sally's face as she watched the cobalt eyes in front of her blink two times. They still looked slightly out of focus. She thanked Merin as she came back into the kitchen after handing her, her bag. She sighed again as she took out tweezers, cotton, gauze, magnifying glass, tape, and rubbing alcohol. She poured some of the alcohol on the cotton and gently touched it to one of the cuts on Jonathon's hand. 

He felt the slight burning sensation, triggering him out of his stupor. He shook his head as his eyes came back into focus and the sound became clear. 

She smiled slightly with relief. "Oh good, you're back with us again."

"What happened?" Jonathon asked softly. 

"You went into shock, maybe from slamming your hand through the glass," Sally replied as she dabbed at the deeper cuts, making him wince. 

"Are you ok Jonathon?" Hilde asked worriedly. 

Jonathon looked over his shoulder at his mother. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm ok mom."

Hilde nodded her head, but she was hard pressed not to still worry. There was a haunted look in his eyes still. 

Duo could see his wife beginning to look worried. "Babe, why don't you go back in the other room and sit with Alex and Rhys." He gave her a gentle push towards the door. 

She gave him an odd look, but left anyway. She took another worried glance at her son before leaving the room. 

Duo tilted his head towards David and Chris, who were both still there. "Keep an eye on your mother."

The two of them nodded and followed their mother out, leaving Duo alone in the kitchen with Jonathon, Sally, and Merin. 

"I'm going to take out some of the embedded glass. Merin is going to apply some ice every few minutes to dull the pain, but it is still going to hurt like a bitch," Sally said as she put down the blood soaked cotton. She picked up the tweezers and shook her head at her younger daughter. 

Merin placed ice, wrapped in a towel on his hand. "It'll go away in a minute," she said quietly. 

Jonathon lowered his eyes and looked at his hand. He could see the slash marks from the razor sharp glass on the top of his hand. He winced slightly as she removed the pack and Sally spread out his fingers on the other towel. He flinched as she carefully touched the tweezers to a wound and drew out a slender piece of glass.

Sally looked up at him. "Do you need something for the pain?"

"No, I'm tough," he replied, grinning slightly at her. 

She could see why her oldest daughter was besotted. When he smiled, his eyes lit up briefly. "Just say if you do," she replied as she adjusted the magnifying glass on her glasses and continued with her delicate work of removing the slivers of glass from his flesh. 

Jonathon lowered his eyes again, watching as she took out each piece of glass. He would cringe a little each time she removed a piece, but otherwise he didn't move. 

Merin watched him closely. She thought her sister was being an idiot for playing around with Ling. She knew as well as their brother did, that she didn't love Ling. She loved Jonathon. And he loved her. She also didn't agree with what her dad was doing. He was being spiteful and petty considering that Jonathon hadn't bothered asking him permission to date Leigh in the first place. "Do you need me anymore mom?" she asked as her mother finally finished taking out the glass shards. 

"No. Thank you Merin," Sally answered as she put down the tweezers. Thankfully, there hadn't been a lot of glass for her to pick out. But she was concerned about how deep some of the cuts were and if he had sliced any tendons. 

Merin stood and left the room. She knew she had to tell Leigh. She deserved to know what she was driving him to do. 

Sally dabbed more alcohol on his hand. It was still bleeding. She slowly turned it over to check his wrist. There were a few slender cuts, bleeding a little, but nothing deep or major. She looked up at Duo, who was still leaning against the counter. He hadn't said anything in the last forty-five minutes. "I want you to take him to get this looked at tomorrow and have a scan of his hand taken. I just want to make sure everything is ok with it."

"Sure," Duo replied as he looked at her. He looked down at his son's hand. His lips twisted as he thought of several ways he could kill Wufei, very, very slowly. 

Sally knew what was crossing Duo's mind by the purely evil smile crossing his lips. _"Probably trying to figure out how many ways he can kill my husband in the most slow painful way possible. Can't say that I blame him." _She looked back at Jonathon. There were things she wanted to say to him. She looked back up at Duo and managed to catch his eye. 

Duo saw Sally's look. He leaned away from the counter. "I'm going to see how your mom is," he said as he left the room. 

******************************************************************************

Sally looked back at Jonathon. "Would you like to tell me what Wufei said to you to make you punch through that security glass?"

Jonathon looked up at her with surprise. "It was nothing," he mumbled. 

"It must have been something to set you off," she pressed. 

"I felt like hitting something. It was either him or the glass," he replied, his voice clipped. 

"Then what was it?"

His mouth twisted into a grim smile. "He told me that Ling could possibly ask Leigh to marry him."

Sally's finely arched brows, raised in shock. "He said that, did he?"

"Yes that was exactly what he said. He also said all I did was hurt her and that she was better off without me," he said bitterly. 

"He did, did he?" she repeated through clenched teeth. "He had no right to say that."

Jonathon's lips quirked up into a mirthless smile. "How I wish that were true. But I have hurt her no matter how you put it. Maybe she is better off without me."

"You're too hard on yourself like your father. Even if you think that, he had no right to point it out to you."

"He's her father, isn't he? He's only protecting her by doing what he thinks is best for her. I know my dad would do it for Randy. But at the same time, he shouldn't have rubbed it in my face how I treated her."

"No, he shouldn't have."

Jonathon looked away. "Then she told me herself that she loved Ling."

Sally's eyes widened. "Leigh told you that she loved Ling?"

"Yes."

Her brow wrinkled a little bit. _"What is Leigh doing? She knows that she doesn't love Ling, but she goes and tells Jonathon that she does. Why is Leigh doing this to herself? She's dooming herself to a life of unhappiness because she can't see how blindly he's in love with her even though he's never said the words."_ "And do you believe that?"

"I don't know what to believe."

"Do you love her?"

Jonathon nodded his head. "I do, but I won't hurt her anymore. I can't say those words to her. And I know it pains her when I don't so I'm going to save myself the trouble causing her any more heartache then she's already suffered."

Sally sighed as she began taping thick cotton on his hand before wrapping gauze around it, then taping it. "I'll tell you like I told your father, go to the hospital tomorrow and have your hand looked at. Some of those cuts look deep and I want to make sure you didn't accidentally slice a tendon."

"Thank you Sally," Jonathon replied softly as he stood up. He looked down at his wrapped hand. He smiled ruefully. "The things I do," he muttered as he turned on his heel and was about to leave the kitchen. 

"Jonathon?"  


He looked at Sally over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"She doesn't really love Ling like she says she does. She loves you."

He smiled sadly. "How I wish I could believe that," he said faintly as he finally left the kitchen. 

Sally rested her head in her hands. "When will this ever end?"

******************************************************************************

Merin found her sister still in the formal living room. "Leigh."

Leigh rubbed her hand across her raw eyes. She glanced over her shoulder at her sister. "Yes?"  


"Jonathon just punched his hand through the security glass in the family room," Merin replied as she sat down in one of the chairs that flanked the fireplace and matched the one her sister was curled up in. 

Leigh's eyes became worried in an instant. "Why? Why caused him to do that?"

"Our father did. I don't know what dad said to him, but one minute there was nothing then all of a sudden there's crashing glass and Jonathon's hand is sticking through it."

"Oh God," Leigh moaned as she pressed her hands against her face. 

"Oh God is right. What did you do to him? It can't be all dad who did this to him?" Merin asked pointedly. 

"I told him that I loved Ling, which isn't really true," Leigh said through her fingers, her voice muffled. 

"Leigh!"  


"I know! Don't you think I don't know what that would do to him! I love Jonathon and I know that he loves me! I already feel guilty enough!"

"So you finally figured it out that he loved you? Dammit sis, you're such a baka girl! You've been with him for such a long time and you're only figuring it out that he loves you!"

"SO SUE ME! HE'S NEVER SAID THE WORDS!"

"LOVE ISN'T ALWAYS TRANSMITTED IN WORDS YOU DOPE! GEEZ, LEIGH THE GUY WAS SO BLINDLY IN LOVE WITH YOU THAT HE PROBABLY COULDN'T THINK STRAIGT HALF THE TIME!"

"WILL YOU STOP YELLING AT ME!"

"YOU FIRST!"

Leigh shoved her hand through her tangled hair and pinned a glare at her sister. "I don't need you to tell me any of that! I'm stupid when it comes to him! I always have been because I'm so in love with that crazy fool!"

"Well someone needs to tell you! He just punched his hand through glass because he's upset with you and dad didn't help by talking to him! You're going to kill him Leigh! He loves you!" Merin snapped at her older sister, shoving her own midnight hair out of her face. "I saw his hand! I helped mom as she took the glass out! There is a possibility that he might have damaged tendons in his hand because of that!"

Leigh's eyes filled with more tears. She couldn't stop herself as they trickled down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands again. "This is all my fault. I should have seen what was in his eyes all along, but I was so fucking stupid. I should have seen that he loved me! And now, I hurt him even more then he hurt me!" 

Merin's face softened as she got out of her chair. She sat down on the arm of her sister's chair and put her arms around her. She didn't say anything except let Leigh cry out her sorrow against her sweater. _"This has to end. This is going to kill the both of them."_

******************************************************************************

Jonathon sat at the kitchen table in his home as his mother put on fresh bandages since his hand had bled through the other ones that Sally had put on. He watched as her brow furrowed a little as she wrapped his hand. His hand hurt terribly, but he didn't show it. 

"There you go," Hilde said softly as she finished taping up the gauze. She looked up at him. "Are you all right?" 

"I'm fine mom," Jonathon said, smiling a little. 

She could see the pain in that smile. He was trying to cover it up like Duo did. Like Chris, David, and Randy did. They all had so much pride and when it took a beating, they licked their wounds in private. She knew how bad his hand must be if Sally recommended him to get it looked at. She gave him a wan smile in return. "Are you sure?" she asked as she stood up from her chair to wash her hands.

"I'll be fine mom, don't worry," he said softly as looked over his shoulder at her. 

"I have to worry, I'm a mother," Hilde said as she came back over to him. She brushed his hair back with her hand and looked down at his face. He looked very much like Duo. Chris and him were practically carbon copies of Duo in every way possible. But Duo always said that their smiles belonged to her. She looked at his hand. "You want to take something for that?"

"No, I'll be fine mom. Go on to bed," he said gently as he looked up at her. He could see the concern stamped on every feature. He sometimes wondered how she had gotten through his dad's injuries when she worried so much. 

"All right," she said as she pressed a kiss on top of his head. "Don't stay up late ok?"

"Okay," he said quietly as he gave her a faint smile. 

Hilde nodded her head and started to leave. She looked back at him. She saw his shoulders hunch a little. She walked back over and slipped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his. "I love you Jonathon," she said as she pressed a kiss on his cheek. 

Jonathon's right hand came up and covered his mother's hands linked around him. "I know you do mom. I love you too," he said as he gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. "Now go on to bed. I'm sure dad misses you."

She nodded again and pressed another kiss on his cheek before she turned and left the room. She walked silently upstairs and into the dimly lit master bedroom. She saw Duo standing by the window, staring out. She slipped into his arms, pressing her cheek against his chest. She felt his strong arms come around her. She knew she didn't have to say anything at all. He felt the same way she did about this. 

Duo pressed a kiss on top of her head and rubbed her back soothingly. He didn't say a word. He knew that she counted on his strength to get through things. He knew better though. She was way stronger then he. She always had been. He held her tight though trying to assuage her worries at the same time as his. He was more worried then he ever had been about his son. He never had to before. And this was more then even he thought possible. So, he continued to hold her, not saying a word and just letting their actions speak. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon looked at his hand. "Well it was either hit Wufei or the glass," he muttered bitterly as he stood up. Pain shot up through his hand. He knew he must have damaged something. It was clearly evident. He looked out the deck doors up at the sky. He stood there quietly. "I should have never fallen in love with her," he whispered as he finally left to make his way up the stairs, only to stare at the ceiling as he lay in bed. Unable to sleep from the pain in his heart. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh was curled under the covers of her comforter. She sniffed back a few more tears. She couldn't stop crying. She felt empty. She felt so alone. And it was all her fault. She had hurt him, the one man she loved. It was unforgivable. She closed her eyes only to see him there. She opened them again to stare out the window. "I shouldn't have fallen in love with him," she whispered as she rolled over, only to cry some more as part of her died inside. 

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A/N: I know this was long and a real tearjerker! I was sniffling myself when I was writing this. There will be more coming soon, so stay tuned! XOXO! (Sniffle).


	14. Never Again

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Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 13

Jonathon went in for reconstructive surgery the day before New Years to repair the several nicked and sliced tendons in his left hand. The worst cut went from the joint of his middle finger down to the center on the back of his hand. One cut sliced from just under his index finger to his thumb. Another cut went diagonal from his pinky down to his wrist. And the last one traveled along the outside of his thumb to his wrist. The palm side of his hand went unscathed except for a few small cuts on the lower part of his palm. He had smashed his hand through security glass, which was hard to break through, and it broke jaggedly if it was broken. The surgery took several hours and then he was wheeled to recovery. 

Hilde paced as she waited for the surgeon to come and tell them the outcome. She looked over at Duo who was sitting down with his head against the wall, dozing. It was only ten in the morning and they had to be here at six in the morning since Jonathon's surgery took place at eight. She sighed and shook her head as she crossed her arms. Then she saw the doctor alight from the swinging doors. "Duo, the doctor is here," she called.

"Hmm? Ok," Duo said as he opened his eyes slowly. He stretched his arms over his head and stood. He walked over to Hilde and slipped his arm around her waist as they both waited for the doctor to reach them. 

"So, how was the surgery Doctor Muncini?" Hilde asked as he reached them. 

"It went amazingly well Missus Maxwell," Doctor Muncini replied reassuringly. "I was able to repair all the tendons that were damaged in his accident. I was surprised that he didn't do more damage then he did since he broke through security glass."

Duo and Hilde both shifted uncomfortably on their feet. "It was just a freak accident," Duo said as he smiled slightly. 

"Well, that's the good news. The bad news is that he'll be in for an extensive rehabilitation of his left hand. It's going to take a little longer then normal since he damaged so many and there was a lot of repair work done. Does he do things that require him to use his left hand?" Doctor Muncini asked. 

"He does the accounting for our businesses. He uses the computer a lot," Hilde replied quietly. "But I suppose I could do it until his hand is better or if he still wants to do it, he could just use his right hand."

The doctor nodded his head thoughtfully. "It might be best for him to continue with his right hand. He'll be in for nine to twelve weeks of rehabilitation. He might have discomfort when using his hand once it's healed since the tendons won't have the same elasticity as they did before."

"Nine to twelve weeks?" Duo repeated. "I guess we should be thankful it wasn't his right hand since he's right handed to begin with."

"I know it seems like a long time Mister Maxwell, but considering the record your children seem to have, it'll go pretty fast," Doctor Muncini replied.

Duo sighed again. "Our kids are accident prone I guess." He thought of the last time they had been here for something like this. Randy had reconstructive surgery on her left knee when she tore the ligaments playing basketball and once for her ankle playing soccer. That had been four years ago. Before that, it had been David, who had it done on his elbow when he had very badly dislocated it playing basketball. Chris had surgery to repair a torn quadriceps in his right leg from landing wrong from running hurdles. And Jonathon had it done before on his shoulder from wrestling. "Hopefully this will be the last time," he answered. 

"How long will he be in recovery?" Hilde asked softly. 

"Oh I would say about two, three hours tops. Then you can take him home. I had the prescription for his pain medication sent down to the pharmacy already so you can pick it up before you leave," Doctor Muncini answered. 

"Thank you Doctor," Duo said as he shook the older man's hand. 

"I'm glad I could be of service. Let's just hope I don't have to see you two for along time. Your kids have kept me busy for the past couple of years," Doctor Muncini said, grinning as he shook Hilde's hand as well. "Good day to you both," he said as he nodded his head once again and left them in the waiting room. 

"I'm glad that's over with," Hilde said as she slumped against Duo, "I don't know how I'm doing this."

"Doing what?" Duo asked as he wrapped his other arm about her waist. 

"Keeping track of how many times our kids have hurt themselves and how much I worry each time they do, praying that this time won't require surgery to fix whatever they did."

"It's all right babe. You're a mom. You're entitled to worry. But this time was different. Jonathon punched his hand through glass because that pompous ass we know as Wufei pissed off our son. And if I had been him, I would have punched the jackass."

"You would," Hilde snorted as she tilted her head back to look at him. "But our son decided not to. He might have not damaged his hand if he had punched Wufei, but at the same time, we don't have to worry about him walking around with a broken nose."

"Would've served him right," Duo said shortly. 

"I know it would've, but our son probably had some measure of respect for Wufei since he's the father of the woman he loves."

"I know," he sighed as he pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Now, I guess we wait until Jonathon comes out of recovery and in the meantime I'll run down at get the medication."

"All right. I'll be here," Hilde said as she squeezed his hands around her waist before he let go and left to go downstairs to the pharmacy. She sighed as she sat down in a chair, cradling her head between her hands. "If it had been me, I would've punched Wufei too."

******************************************************************************

Leigh looked through the charts of patients that would be requiring physical therapy. Her lips parted slightly as she picked up the second one from the pile on her desk. "Jonathon," she whispered as she read it. "Oh God," she moaned as she read the reason for his rehabilitation. "This is all my fault." She pushed away from her desk and left her office. She walked down to recovery and poked her head in. She spotted him on the far wall, still under the effects of the anesthesia. She picked up the chart and looked at it before pulling over a stool next to the bed. She smoothed her sweaty palms on her burgundy skirt. "Oh Jonathon, I'm so, so sorry," she whispered to his sleeping form. 

"Doctor Chang, I didn't know you would be here," said a young nurse named Lucy as she came over to check on his vital signs. 

"I just had some paperwork on my desk from Doctor Muncini saying that there were several people in need of rehabilitation," Leigh replied awkwardly. "This patient seems to be in need of it."

"Yes, Jonathon Maxwell. He was wheeled in here twenty minutes ago," Lucy replied.

Leigh nodded her head. "I can see. His left hand was damaged."

"Poor thing. I heard he was the European sector boxing champion," Lucy said as she hung his chart back on the edge of the bed. "So will you be taking him?"

"No, no," Leigh replied hastily. "I'll let Doctor Cantrell take care of him this time."

"I see. The new kid needs some experience."

"Something like that," Leigh said weakly. 

Lucy nodded her head and walked off to check on other patients. 

Leigh sighed in relief. No one here at the hospital knew of her relationship with Jonathon Maxwell. And she wanted it that way. She looked around again until they were blissfully alone in the corner he was in. She slipped her hand into his right one as it lay on top of the blanket. She brushed back a lock of his chestnut hair as it fell on his forehead. He looked incredibly boyish when he slept, not at all like the twenty three year old man that he was. "If only I hadn't told you that I loved Ling, then maybe none of this would have happened," she said sadly as she continued to hold his hand and stroke the side of his face with her fingers. 

Jonathon's head turned towards the warmth next to his face. 

She sat back, startled by his movement, but he didn't wake up. She smiled faintly as she removed her hand from his face and slipped it under the collar of her white blouse, pulling out his cross that she wore around her neck. She stared at it as it glittered in the palm of her hand. She let it fall over the top of her shirt as she continued to watch him. She looked over at his heavily bandaged left hand and felt immense guilt rip through her. "Forgive me for all that I've done," she said as she lowered her head to stare at the white tiled floor under her black pumps. She sat there for an hour, just watching him sleep.

Later…

She glanced at her watch as an hour passed by. He was beginning to stir slightly. She stood and slipped the cross from around her neck, pressing it into the palm of his right hand. She leaned down close to his face. "Please don't think any less of me for giving this back to you. I know you probably can't hear me, but I want to tell you that no matter what anyone says, I loved you. Never doubt that I didn't or that I still don't because I still do love you. I'll always love you. I'm sorry I never saw how much you loved me. Forgive me for all that I put you through. I'm with Ling now and he seems to love me and I can't hurt him too. But you'll always own my heart," she said softly and sorrowfully. And with that, she pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss and for a moment it seemed like he was kissing her back. She lifted her lips away from his and stared down into his face. He was still asleep, but she knew he would wake soon. She closed her eyes, fighting back the tears. She took a deep breath and left him in the recovery room, returning to her office. She closed the door tight behind her and finally broke down in tears. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon heard someone talking to him. He couldn't make out whose voice it was or what was being said to him. His mind was still muddled by the anesthesia. His eyes opened in mere slits. He couldn't really see who it was either until whoever it was pressed their lips against his. He reacted and moved his lips slightly. He wanted to open his eyes as whoever it was removed their lips from his, but he couldn't. They were still too heavy. He heard the click of heels and then silence. He squeezed his eyes shut before forcing them to open. He blinked at the brightness of the light above him. "Ugh," he mumbled as he stared at the ceiling. He turned his head towards his left hand. He could see the pure white bandages swathing it. He sighed and slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. He looked down at his right hand and saw a chain dangling from his closed palm. He opened it. It was his cross. The one he had given Leigh. " No, it couldn't be," he said to himself as he stared at it. He blinked his eyes rapidly and then looked back down at his hand again. The cross was still there, glittering in his palm. The sequence of events shot through his mind as it gradually cleared, someone talking to him, someone kissing him, and his cross in his palm. It had to have been her. His mouth twitched, as he remained silent. In his mind was a different story. _"LEIGH!" _

Later that evening…

Jonathon hadn't said a word once he arrived home. His hand was killing him, but he didn't want to take the medication that was prescribed for him. He toyed with the spaghetti on his plate, his normally ravenous appetite gone. 

Hilde was casting him worried looks since he hadn't really said much since they came home. She looked over at Duo. 

Duo could see the expression on her face. He looked over at Jonathon. "Not hungry?"

Jonathon looked up from his plate. "Not really, no," he replied quietly as he set down his fork. 

"Is your hand bothering you?" Hilde asked, concerned. 

"No," he replied again as he took a sip of the milk in front of him. "I think I'm just going to watch TV for a little bit," he said as he pushed out his chair and went into the family room. He sat down on the couch and lay back on it, propping his head up on a pillow. He flipped the TV on with the remote and began to surf the channels. He wasn't looking for anything in particular; he just wanted to do something that would take his mind off of Leigh and the fact that his cross was back around his neck again. He still was wearing her ring around his neck. It was making him feel empty inside. He knew deep down he would have to accept that she loved Ling, but at the same time he was puzzled on why she would come to see him in the recovery room and why the hell would she kiss him if she loved someone else. He was baffled. He knew the answer was out there, it just eluded him. He moved his left hand a little. "Dammit," he hissed under his breath, hoping his mother wouldn't hear. He liked to be fussed over, but at the same time he, his siblings, and his dad made the worst patients. He pursed his mouth a little when he realized he couldn't move his fingers that were barely visible above the gauze. "Shit," he muttered and let his head fall back against the pillow again. 

******************************************************************************

Hilde heard her son's muffled curses and she rose from her chair, only to be stopped by a look from Duo. She arched her brow at him. 

Duo shook his head negatively at her look and motioned with his eyes for her to sit down. 

She pursed her lips in a thin line and narrowed her eyes a little. 

His brow furrowed a little and he shook his head again. 

Hilde glared at him and started for the family room only to be caught about the waist by Duo. She gave him a dirty look over her shoulder and tried to elbow him in the ribs.

Duo anticipated his wife's move, pulling away from her elbow. He turned her around swiftly and tossed her over his shoulder, carrying her out of the room. 

******************************************************************************

David and Randy passed each other a look when they heard the door slam upstairs a few moments later. "Will you pass me the spaghetti?" she asked nonchalantly. 

"Sure," David said as he handed his sister the bowl. For a moment he spun his fork in the food on his plate. "You know what that was about?" he finally asked. 

"Be damned if I knew," Randy replied as she tapped her fork on the edge of her plate, "Mom and dad always had conversations without words and I still can't figure them out."

"Same here," he said as he looked back towards the steps. "I don't think we ever will."

Randy nodded her head in agreement as they both finally went back to their dinner. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh lay back on her pillows as she sat alone in her room. The house was silent. She was playing her stereo softly. Her mother was mad at her father so she had kicked him out of the bed and he was now sleeping on the couch. She sighed as she rolled over and faced the wall. She wasn't really speaking to her father either since she had found out that he was the other reason Jonathon smashed his hand through glass, damaging it beyond belief. 

__

I heard from a friend today

And she said you were in town

She reached out and pulled open the drawer on her nightstand. She fumbled around inside before finding it and pulling it out. She rested the small brown velvet box on the pillow next to her face. She looked at it for a moment before raising herself up on her elbow. She opened it and stared at the ring inside. Small diamonds sparkled intermittently on the white gold band. She pulled it out and slipped it over her ring finger on her right hand. It was a ring given to her by Jonathon on her twenty first birthday. She looked at it on her finger. She then looked at her left hand. She wore a jade ring on her index finger. It had been an heirloom left to her mother in a bank vault in Beijing. 

__

Suddenly the memories came back to me in

My mind

She remembered everything about him. She knew that he had a scar on his heel from stepping on a piece of glass when he was ten. That he had a birthmark on the small of his back in the shape of a horseshoe. The fact that he wore glasses when he wasn't wearing contacts. Or that he was a closet romantic. Intimate details that not many people knew. Or the fact that every time he kissed her, her knees would turn to rubber, even when she was mad at him. 

__

How can I be strong I've asked myself

Time and time I've said

That I'll never fall in love with you again

Leigh could still remember how persistent he was in asking her out. 

__

"Go out with me."

"No Jonathon."

"You'll have fun, I promise."

"No Jonathon. You're asking the wrong girl."

"I'm asking the right girl."

"You'll have to try harder then that."

"Come on Leigh, for me."

"You still have to try harder."

"I bet I could kiss your socks off."

"Keep thinking that, but it won't ever happen at the rate you're going."

"So, I bet I could kiss your socks off."

"In your dreams Maxwell," she snorted as she started to walk away. 

"I'll wear you down, then you'll say yes!" he shouted at her retreating back. 

"Do that! In the meantime, work on your pick up lines. They're sorely lacking," she called over her shoulder as she continued to walk away. 

That particular memory made her smile. He had been more then persistent. He had dogged her every step. It didn't fail to make her laugh at the lengths he went through just to get her to go out on one date with him. She could remember coming home from college for Christmas and finding her room filled with lilies and with several tins of Hilde's chocolate chip cookies, which she loved. And he had been there sitting in the tree outside of her window, waiting for her. 

__

"Now will you go out with me?"

"Maybe."

"Pretty please and I promise I'll be good."

"Yes, I'll go out with you. But you being good? The day that a Maxwell is good voluntarily is the day that I marry one."

"Be careful what you say sweetheart and I'll make you eat those words of yours," he said as he climbed in through the window and stood in front of her. 

"You wish," she snorted disdainfully, looking up at him. "Don't be…" But she was cut off when he kissed her soundly on the mouth. 

She laughed again at the memory. He had kissed her and even though she would never admit it to him, he had kissed her socks off. 

__

A wounded heart you gave,

My soul you took away

Her soft laughter faded. She smiled ruefully. He had captured her heart and soul the very first time he kissed her. People always wondered what she saw in him. He was womanizing, trash talking, undisciplined Maxwell with a penchant for getting in trouble. But she saw beneath the surface to the warm-hearted sweetheart that he really was. She fell in love with just one kiss. He had trusted her enough to let her inside and she could feel it in the way that he kissed her. 

__

Good intentions you had many,

I know you did

"If only our tempers hadn't been on a collision course," she whispered to herself. Their personalities clashed. He was too laid back and she was too uptight. He didn't believe in absolutes. She did. He wasn't a workaholic, she was. They weren't a match made in heaven. "It was more like a match made in hell," she sighed. When they fought, it became a yelling match since their tempers were so explosive. It made her cry when she was alone because she wanted to work so desperately. It was hard to break up with him and she usually did it in the heat of anger. And each time, she would always take him back. They couldn't stand being apart for long. 

__

I've come from a place that hurts,

God knows how I've cried

She always told herself afterwards not to take him back, but she couldn't help herself. He meant too much to her to let go even though they would hurt each other so badly. She fought it, but she always gave in to that angelic smile of his. She couldn't resist him and she knew it. And she knew that he must have known it too.

__

And I never want to return

Never fall again

Leigh placed the box on top of her night table and rolled to her back. She rested her hands above her head, curling her fingers about the wrought iron headboard. It brought back some more memories that made her face flush. Besides the first time he made love to her in her bed, they would find ways to sneak it so her parents wouldn't find out. He made sex an event unto itself. 

__

"Oh God…"

"Leigh…God…you're going to kill me."

"Harder…"

"…Any harder we'll break the bed…"

"You…could…buy me…a new one…"

"Wouldn't…that…make your parents…"

"You talk…too much…"

"So do…you…"

"Just hardDER…"

"I don't want…to hurt you…"

"…Then you sit back and…I'll do all the work…"

"…Dammit Leigh…Oh God…"

She let go of the headboard and fanned her face with her hands. Her cheeks were scalding hot. That particular time, she had been the one on top, gripping her headboard above his head. They had almost broken the bed that time. 

__

Making love to you felt so good and 

Oh so right

The other time that stuck out in her mind was when they made love in his truck. He was driving and she was straddling his lap. But what made it memorable because she was being his fantasy for the evening since it was his birthday. She was dressed in the Catholic school girl uniform that she worn when she attended Saint Augustines. She fanned her face again. She smiled softly at all the times he had made love to her. He was always careful with her. He was always afraid that he would hurt her since she was so much smaller then he was. His touch was always light, like he was touching something delicate and fragile. 

__

How can I be strong I've asked myself

Time and time I've said

That I'll never fall in love with you again

"If only I hadn't been so blind," she whispered to herself as she looked up at the ceiling, "Then maybe I would have seen that he loved me. I should've seen it." She could remember waking up sometimes in his arms and he would be watching her with emotion filled eyes. She never really defined the emotion she saw there and now she was wishing that she had. 

__

So here we are alone again,

Didn't think I'd come to this

Then the night of the dinner from hell flashed through her mind. She could almost feel his mouth on hers again, draining her willpower away. The way that his eyes looked at her as he made love to her swirled through her brain. She had seen it then too, but she hadn't really seen it. It was the same look he had the night of the engagement party when he had been trying to tell her that he loved her. He had purposely gotten her alone so he could tell her what he felt. She closed her eyes and if she thought hard enough, she could feel his breath against her lips as he was trying to say the words that she wanted to hear for so long. 

__

And to know it all began

With just a little kiss

"Did he fall in love with me the time that we first kissed?" Leigh asked herself as she rolled to her stomach, wrapping her arms about her pillow and resting her chin on it. She looked at the wall behind the headboard. "I wish I knew if he did?" she asked herself again as she frowned. "But I screwed it up."

__

I've come to close to happiness, 

To have it swept away

She knew that she was happy with him. He made her feel so alive inside even when they were fighting. There was just something about him that drew her to him. He was in her blood. "But I royally screwed it up this time around," she said as she thought of the time she asked him to make the breakup official. She never wanted to remember that day that she tried so hard to sever any feeling that she had for him because she couldn't stand inflicting any more pain on him as he did her. She loved him too much to hurt him any longer and she was causing herself so much grief. And now, she had really hurt him past the point of no return. She told him the ultimate lie. "I told him I loved somebody else when I don't," she said mournfully as felt her eyes get hot. 

__

Don't think I can take the pain

No never fall again

"Now I'll never get to hear that he loves me. I ruined my own chances by telling him that I loved Ling when who I really love is him."

__

Kinda late in the game

And my heart is in your hands

"Even if break up with Ling, Jonathon will never take me back now. I wish…." She trailed off as tears began to roll down her cheeks. 

__

Don't you stand there and then tell me

You love me

Then leave again

"I wish…"

__

'Cause I'm falling in love with you again

"God help me, I love him, but I wish…" she cried harder as all the memories of him flashed through her mind. Him kissing her when she broke her ankle to take her mind off it. The way he took care of her afterwards. The way that he grinned when he was being a pain and he knew it. The way that he would smirk at her when he was up to something that wasn't good. The way that he would hold her tight when they would fall asleep on the couch in front of the television or out on the hammock in his yard. 

__

Hold me, hold me

Don't ever let go

"I wish…" she whispered as she clutched her pillow as more memories flooded her brain. The way that he would leave a single flower on her pillow when he left her house first thing in the morning so that she would think of him when she woke up. The way that he kissed her. The way that he touched her and made love to her. The way that he danced with her that night at the engagement party. She never wanted him to let go of her. She belonged in his arms. And they had come so close to reaching what had been escaping them. 

__

Say it just one time

Say you love me

All the times she wished that he had told her that he loved her made her heart wrench since it must have been in his eyes all along. But once was all she needed. She needed him to tell her just once that he loved her. She looked at her finger through blurry eyes. The ring wavered back and forth in her vision. She slowly closed her other hand around it. 

__

God knows I do love you

Again 

"I wish that I never fell in love with you," she cried brokenly as she pulled the ring off her finger, clutching it in her hand as she let herself cry for him one last time. 

******************************************************************************

Sally stood outside her daughter's door. She could hear the heart wrenching sobs. It broke her heart. She gave her husband a hard look as he stood on the steps. "I hope you can hear what you did to our daughter," she snapped as she turned on her heel and slammed the door to the master bedroom behind her. 

Wufei stood there, silently as he watched Sally's retreating back. He didn't flinch when she slammed the door. He turned his head towards his oldest child's door. His mouth twitched a little. He frowned slightly, shoving his hands into his pockets. He turned and went back down the steps to his bed on the couch, having a blank expression on his face and said not a word at all. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon woke up with a start on the couch. All the lights were out and the TV was off. He felt a twinge inside of him. He squinted in the darkness and slowly stood up. An aching pain shot through his hand, but he ignored it. He concentrated on the heaviness settling within his chest. He always had a strange feeling like this when Leigh was upset. It was a connection that they seemed to have. It was almost gut wrenching as he leaned against the paned glass of the deck doors in the family room. The stars shined brightly overhead seemingly oblivious to the heartache being played out below. "What is hurting you so much?" he whispered as he closed his eyes, trying to will away the pain in his hand at the same time he was trying to figure out why she would be so upset. "Why do we still have this connection Leigh? If you don't love me, why do I still feel you?" he whispered again. He sighed and let his right hand fall away from the glass. He glanced once at the counter and could see the pain medication sitting there. He took some of it, reluctantly and trudged up the stairs to his room. He managed to take off his pants and toss them on the chair, leaving him in boxers and a T-shirt. He crawled under the covers and looked up at the shadow cast on his ceiling by the moon. He could feel her pain fading within him, but it tended to linger. "I'm sorry for whatever's hurting you Leigh, but I can't do this anymore then you can. I give up. I can't have you, and then I have to go on without you, even if I love you. And I will always love you no matter what," he vowed as he closed his eyes and gave himself up to the pain medication and sleep. 

****

*Song "Again" by Janet Jackson

__

A/N: I'm really cruel aren't I? And I know some of you must be ready to choke me for making these characters so unbelievably miserable. So if you want to know how this will turn out, don't choke me just yet! Stay tuned for more coming soon! XOXO!


	15. Still Attracted

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Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

****

Warring Hearts, Part 14

Jonathon flexed his left hand a little as he wrapped it. It was a week before David and Kellie's wedding. He was still going through therapy for his hand. He stopped for a moment and looked at the scars crisscrossing the top of it before continuing to wrap it. He slipped a glove over it and then the boxing glove. He wiggled his fingers a little, satisfied with their flexibility. They weren't close to what they used to be and technically, he wasn't supposed to be boxing either. But today was the European sector boxing championship and he would be damned if he was going to let his injury get in the way of him winning it for a fourth year in a row. He also knew he wasn't nearly as ready as he was supposed to be like he had been other years. "But I'll be damned if I'm going to let anything stop me," he muttered under his breath as he pulled on the other glove. He flexed his right hand. He brought his gloves together in a light punch. A slight twinge of pain coursed through his left hand. "Screw it," he said as he shook his head and walked towards the door. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh sat in the box with Ling. It belonged to the hospital. They were the only ones there. She leaned forward in her chair and looked down at the ring below. She felt strangely apprehensive since she knew that he would be competing for the title. He was the reigning champion and he had to defend it anyway. She glanced at Ling out of the corner of her eye. "Have you ever seen a match before?" she asked as she leaned back in her chair. 

"Only last year. That was my first time. I was impressed by his skill and this year I want to see if he's able to keep his title for one more year," Ling replied as he patted the back of her hand. He soon twined his fingers with hers. "How many times have you seen Jonathon box?"

She swallowed a trifle nervously and wetted her lips. "Plenty of times. Since he started really. I grew up with him."

He nodded his head and looked back towards the ring.

"But he shouldn't be doing this. He injured his left hand. Doctor Cantrell didn't give him medical clearance," she said softly as she saw the crowd stand and cheer as Jonathon came out, followed by David and Chris. 

"Couldn't you have stopped him? You're Doctor Cantrell's supervisor aren't you?"

"Yes, I could've stopped him, but telling him what to do is like talking to a brick wall. And even if she had come to me, it would be a moot point. He would've done it with or without medical clearance, which he is."

"He's the type that does what he likes, I suppose?"

"He's always been that way," Leigh murmured as she watched him get into the ring. She raised her eyes heavenwards for a moment. _"God help him if he hurts his hand more."_

******************************************************************************

Sweat poured down his face as he leaned back in his corner. He flexed his left hand within the glove again. He hid the wince from his brothers as they gave him water and draped a towel around the back of his neck. _"I totally miscalculated that last punch of his. He must have known I would use my left to block it out of reflex when he saw I was favoring it. Damn him!" _His hand felt stiff and sore from the blow it received, but it wasn't enough to stop him. He flexed his fingers within the glove as the bell rang again. He stood up. _"Samini is going to get it this time. I have to end it now with a knockout before he gets another shot at my hand again." _

******************************************************************************

Leigh sat forwards in her seat, her hands resting on the ledge in front of her. Her eyes were riveted on the ring below. She glanced behind her at the other doctors that had showed up to use the box. They were talking quietly and watching the match as well. She saw Jonathon take another blow with his left hand. "Dammit, he's going to break it," she muttered as she watched him shake it off. "Samini is deliberately going for his left hand. He must have figured out that Jonathon is favoring it."

Ling took a sip of his drink as he watched her. He had never seen her so interested in a sporting event before. He looked back at the ring. "Enjoying the fight sweetheart?" 

She glanced at Ling out of the corner of her eye. "It's an interesting match because I know he's fighting with a handicap. He's doing very well considering he shouldn't be using his left hand like that yet. He'll pay for it later on," she replied as she watched Jonathon finally use a right cross, knocking Samini flat on his back. "That's the way," she said under her breath. She felt her blood tingle with excitement, knowing that Jonathon had won. 

He smiled at her response and clapped loudly as the bell sounded, signaling the end of the match. "Well it looks like Jonathon won," he commented. 

"Yeah, he won," Leigh said as she smiled widely. She then frowned a little as she recognized Morgan run towards the ring behind Randy. She watched as Randy hugged him. Then Morgan hugged him. He swung her around once before kissing her on the mouth. Her lips twitched a little. "So that's the way it is," she said softly. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon put Morgan down and looked up at the boxes. He knew that Leigh would be here with Ling. He found her staring right back at him before she gave him a slight smile and turned towards Ling next to her. He felt a faint tug of jealousy. He looked over at Samini, who was still out cold. "You got away with it twice and I gave you a good going away present," he smirked as he raised his gloved hands in the air, making the crowd cheer loudly. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh walked down to the refreshment stands after the match. There were several going on today besides the European Sector championship. The youth division was on now. She did a double take as she noticed Jonathon walking off with a large bag of ice, resting it on his left hand. She frowned deeply and ran after him. "Jonathon," she called out. She noticed that he had since showered and changed into his green soccer shorts and a plain white tee shirt. 

Jonathon turned to see her running towards him. He arched his brow at her. "What?"

She stopped in front of him. "How's your hand?" she asked as she nodded towards it. 

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine," he lied. 

"That's bull," Leigh snorted as she took the ice off of it. His hand was black and blue. "Good God Jonathon! Your hand is far from fine!"

"So?" 

"So, you're going to permanently damage it if you keep this up! Does anyone know that you did this without medical clearance?"

"No."

"Does your mother know?"

"No."

Leigh pursed her lips. "Let me take a look at it."

"It's fine Leigh," Jonathon said as he pulled his hand away from her. 

"I'll tell your mother if you don't," she threatened. 

He blanched. "Fine," he sighed reluctantly as he started walking back towards the locker room he was in. 

She followed him with a smirk on her face. She sat down on the bench as he closed the door behind her. "Now let me look at it," she ordered as he sat down in front of her. 

"Yes Doctor Chang," he said as he rolled his eyes. 

Leigh blatantly tugged on his fingers of his left hand, making him wince. "Cut with the sarcasm or else I'll really make them hurt."

"Yes ma'am," Jonathon replied sulkily as he watched her run her fingers over the back of his hand. His eyes wandered over her, taking note of everything. She was wearing a short black skirt with a fitted light blue blouse, showing off her slender figure and toned legs. His eyes went back up to her face. Tendrils of her hair caressed her rose tinted cheeks as she leaned forwards a little, while the rest of it was piled on the top of her head, held in place by black chopsticks. 

She felt his eyes on her as she looked at his hand. She raised her eyes to his and found him watching her. "Does this hurt?" she asked as she pressed lightly on the back of his hand, along the scar in the center of his hand. 

"A little."

Leigh ran her fingers over to the scar that sliced from his pinky down to his wrist. "How about this?"

He shook his head. "That hurts a little too," he admitted. 

Leigh frowned as she pressed down on the other scars on his hand, noting that he winced a little. "You shouldn't have boxed at all. Doctor Cantrell shouldn't have let you."

"She told me not to, but it was my decision," Jonathon answered as he looked back down at his hand. 

"If it had been me, I wouldn't have let you. I would have made damn sure that you didn't. You have such a hardhead Jonathon."

"And what would you have done Leigh?"

"I would have tied you to a chair and told you that you weren't boxing."

Jonathon snorted. "Like you could've stopped me."

Leigh's eyes narrowed slightly. "I would have." She twisted herself on her bench to get more comfortable. 

"Leigh, why don't you just put your legs on either side of the bench. It would probably be more comfortable."

"I'm wearing a skirt."

"So I promise not to look. It's not like I haven't seen any of it before."

Her face flared with some color. "Fine," she said as she swung her leg over on the other side. It hiked her already short skirt up even more. She glared at him before looking back at his hand. "Stretch out your hand as flat as it can go."

Jonathon held up his left hand, extending his fingers out, flattening out his palm. He winced at the tightness. 

"Just as I thought. You can't even do that," she said as she grasped his right hand. "Let me see your right hand."

He stretched out his right hand and held it up next to his left hand. 

She assessed both of his hands with the critical eye of a physical therapist. "Your fingers are slightly bent still. I don't like this. I don't like this at all. You might have damaged this even more. How long were you training for this? I assume you didn't go in cold."

"Two months."

"Two months. You're surgery was at the end of December. Your rehabilitation was about three months, which would put the end of it, towards April. It's now June," she said as she examined his hand again. "Dammit Jonathon, you were training for this and you weren't even out of rehab yet!"

"So sue me. I wasn't going to miss this. I have a title to defend Leigh!"

"Not at the expense of your hand, you dope!" Leigh exclaimed with exasperation.

He didn't say anything, but scowled slightly at her. "So, what's the prognosis?"

She sighed and spread his fingers out, looking at them for a moment. "Back to rehab with you. And this time, no strenuous activity for it. You'll never have the same elasticity in your left hand any more. You damaged to many tendons and a lot of repair work was done to fix them. You shouldn't have boxed Jonathon. You set yourself back by pushing it."

"So, I can't box."

"Not for a long while. And if I catch you doing anything besides typing on a computer with your hand, I will have your hide," she said sternly as she lowered his hand between them. 

"Yes doctor," he sighed as he looked at her hand holding onto his. Her hands looked so small compared to his. He raised his eyes to hers. "And how are you going to make sure that I don't do anything that I shouldn't?"

"I'll take over your therapy and make damn sure that you don't."

"You think you can handle me?" he teased.

"I know all your weak spots. I think I can handle you well enough," she teased back. "And since I'm here, I'll put you through some exercises," she said as she lifted his hand back up between them. She flattened his hand out against hers. "I want you to squeeze my hand as hard as you can."

"Ok," he replied as he let his fingers thread through hers. He tightened his grip on her hand, but he couldn't help but flinch a little. 

"I know you can squeeze harder then that. Again."

Jonathon squeezed her hand again, harder this time. 

"Good, that was better. A little harder this time."

"You know the last time you were telling me harder, it was for something a lot more fun then this," he said under his breath. 

Color raced up Leigh's face. "Don't be crude Jonathon."

"I couldn't help myself," he smirked, noting the color in her cheeks. 

"Hentai," she muttered as she gave him a reproachful look. She could see that mischievous look in his eyes. She knew he was flirting with her. 

"It's so nice to know I can still make you blush."

"You're incorrigible," she commented, shaking her head. She slipped her fingers out of his. "Now I'm going to bend each of your fingers back towards you. I want you to resist the movement," she said as she started bending his fingers back towards him. 

His mouth tightened as he resisted the movement. It hurt some.

Leigh frowned when she noticed that he was having trouble with his middle finger. "This was damaged the most, wasn't it?" she asked as she raised her eyes to his. 

"More or less," he replied as he looked back at her. 

Leigh scooted forwards a little, her knees coming to touch his. She spread his fingers flat again and moved his hand closer to her face. She ran her finger along the back of it. "This is really tight," she remarked.

"How?" Jonathon asked curiously as he leaned in to look.

"See, when this particular tendon was repaired, the surgeon had to reconnect everything to the bone. You sliced it pretty deep, ripping up many of the tendons that connect your middle finger to your index finger. He had to tighten them up when he reconnected them. And since you were so hell bent on competing, you didn't give it enough time to heal properly," she explained as she tapped her nail against the back of his hand. She looked up at him and not realizing how close his face was to hers, she pulled back, startled. Unfortunately for her, she was sitting on the edge of the bench. She fell back and grabbed onto his other hand out of reflex. 

Jonathon didn't expect her to fall. He had been too interested in the way her lips were forming each word. He was pulled forwards on top of her and between her legs. He pushed himself up on his elbows and looked down at her. Her eyes had gone wide.

Leigh looked up at him. His eyes were a little wide as well. She could feel him pressing down on every inch of her body. Tiny shock waves were thundering through her body from the close contact. The closest they'd been in months. He was warm. 

He watched her eyes widen even more. He could see his reflection in the ice blue depths. "Are you all right?" he asked quietly, fighting the urge to kiss her. 

She nodded her head as she looked up at him. She stared up into the cobalt orbs above her. Her heart was pounding. _"This feels so good and so right. **Now, now Leigh, you can't have him. You're with Ling, remember? Jonathon is your past. You moved on."**_

Jonathon could see conflicting thoughts cloud her eyes for a moment. He didn't want to move. He liked himself just where he was. "You know, this is not new," he observed dryly. 

"Jonathon!" Leigh's face turned a bright pink as she tried to move from under him. It was near impossible since he was lying on top of her. His hips pressing into hers. 

"Can you not do that?" he asked as he gave her a look. 

Her face heated up even more. 

Jonathon pushed himself off of her, grasping her hands in his. He pulled her up with him. He reflexively smoothed his hands over her back. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No," she replied as she felt his hands run down her back to her hips. She dared to look up into his face. She blinked once. 

His own heart was pounding against his ribs. _"Damn I want to kiss her. I swore that I would let her go all those months ago, but she still has a hold on me. She looks so tempting."_ He lowered his head a little. 

Leigh leaned forwards, her eyes sliding closed. 

And just about the time his mouth was to touch hers, the door swung open. 

They sprang apart immediately. 

"I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?" Chris asked as he noted the high color in Leigh's cheeks. He looked back at Jonathon, who was looking away. 

"No, I was just leaving," Leigh said hastily as she turned on her heel. She looked back at Jonathon. "Apply ice to your hand and then wrap it," she instructed. She looked at Chris. "And I should smack you for letting him box in the first place."

Chris shrugged. "He does what he wants." He then smirked. "But I can see that you made it all better."

Leigh's cheeks flared with color again. She then glared at him. "If this gets out, I'll kick your ass," she said as she hurriedly left the room. 

Jonathon watched her go. He didn't dare meet his brother's eyes as the door closed behind her. He sat back down on the bench and placed the ice back on his hand. "Don't you knock?"

Chris sat down on the end of the bench. "No, but I'm glad I didn't."

"Chris," Jonathon ground out as he looked up at him, eyes narrowed. 

"Oh get over it Jonathon. You know I and I know that you're still in love with her. And I think she still loves you too," Chris remarked knowingly. 

Jonathon scowled and took the ice off his hand. "What do you know?" he mumbled as he picked up the tape and started wrapping his hand. 

"I know plenty," he replied shortly. "So what did she mean about your hand?"

"That I shouldn't have boxed today. She said I damaged it even more," Jonathon answered tightly as he continued to wrap his hand. "And that if mom saw it, she would have fit. My hand is black and blue from those two shots Samini gave me."

"Black and blue?" Chris repeated as he moved forwards. He took a look at Jonathon's hand. "Good God, Jonathon, she's right. You baka! You should've said something!"

"I wanted to finish the fight. I wasn't going to let pain get in my way," Jonathon retorted as he finished taping up his hand. 

"Do you have shit for brains or something?"

"No more then you did when you started running on that knee of yours before you were ready to."

Chris's mouth tightened a little. "So what were you two doing before I interrupted?"

"Nothing."

"Didn't look like nothing. It looked like you were going to kiss her and she was going to oblige you by accepting it."

"It was nothing Chris," Jonathon gritted out. 

"Yeah, I'll believe that when hell freezes over," Chris snorted. 

"She saw me with an ice pack on my hand. She was looking at it and assessing the damage. It was all innocent."

"Innocent? Hardly. I saw you looking. That skirt of hers was short enough for you to take notice."

"Will you drop it Chris! It was nothing!" Jonathon snapped. 

Chris smirked at his brother's irate expression. "All right. But you know I'm right," he said as he stood. "Come on, let's go."

"You better not say a word of this to anyone," Jonathon warned. 

Chris nodded his head. "I won't tell anyone. Except my wife," he said as he opened the door. He looked over his shoulder at Jonathon. "I learned not to keep too many secrets from her. If I do, it's my ass on the couch. I don't like the couch."

"Fine, but no one else! I don't want Randy or David to find out. And I especially don't want mom and dad to know."  


"Done," Chris said as he held it open for Jonathon as he followed him out. 

Jonathon nodded his head stiffly. His bag was slung over his shoulder. He was resting the ice on his left hand again. _"I just couldn't keep my hands off of her and now Chris knows. But at the same time, whom am I kidding? I'm still in love with her and he knows it. But there is no possible way that Leigh still loves me."_

******************************************************************************

Leigh pressed her palms against her face as she made her way back to the box. "What the hell was I thinking?" she asked herself. "I almost kissed him! Baka girl!" she berated as she opened the door to the box. 

Ling looked up as the door opened. "I was wondering where you got to." He went over to her and pressed a kiss on her lips.

"I ran into Chris. I was talking to him," she lied as she gave him a faint smile. 

"And how is he? It's been a while since I've seen him," he said as he led her back to their seats. 

"He's fine. Busy as usual. His two kids take up a lot of his time," Leigh replied as she looked out at the crowd below. 

"I guess that's expected. His kids are both quite young."

"Alex is eighteen months and Rhys is almost seven months. Alex looks like Victoria and Rhys is probably going to look like Chris."

Ling smiled. "And how about tonight? We still going out with everyone?"

"Yes, we're all going to The Crown. Kellie likes to dance and she wanted everyone together to have some fun," Leigh answered as she smiled at him. 

"Can you dance?"

"A little, although I'm not quite as good as Randy, Veronica, Carin, and Kellie. Those four are the dancers in the group. Can you?"

"I'm not bad."

"That's good to hear."

"Will anyone else be bringing dates besides you?"

"I don't know. The couples within our group will be together, but I'm not sure about anyone else."

"Will Jonathon be bringing Morgan?" Ling asked curiously. "Since we saw him kiss her in the ring."

"I suppose," Leigh supplied as she hid her slight twinge of jealousy. _"I wonder if he's really dating her again. It wouldn't surprise me. He's always with her. But at the same time, why would he try to kiss me if he was with her?"_

A/N: This chapter is better, yes? Stay tuned for more coming soon! XOXO!


	16. Final Heartbreak?

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

Warring Hearts, Part 15 

**__**

Leigh touched the bouquet of flowers in her hands. She sighed as she rolled her head back against her shoulders. She looked over at Jonathon as he stood over where Chris was. He looked so handsome in his tux. She looked over at Kellie, who was being fussed over by Noin and Hilde. She had been picked as a bridesmaid since her and Kellie had both run cross-country at Saint Augustines and there had been more groomsmen then bridesmaids. "Everyone younger then me is getting married," she sighed as she smoothed her one hand down the royal purple silk of her dress. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon was watching her out of the corner of his eye. She looked breathtaking. He watched her adjust the short train on her dress. The slim fitting silk dress flattered her gently curving figure. His palms tingled slightly as he thought of all the times that he had run his hands over every inch of them. He knew how soft her skin was and how she tasted against his mouth. 

"Not thinking of something you shouldn't while you're in Church, are you?" Chris whispered as he nudged Jonathon with his elbow. 

Jonathon flushed a little. "No."

Chris smirked at his response. "Liar." He looked over in Leigh's direction. She was talking to Victoria, who looked just as beautiful in the royal purple silk. "I know I am."

"You would be," Jonathon snorted as he raked his hands though his chestnut hair. 

"At least I admit it. I know you're thinking about Leigh. It's written all over your face."

"Will you shut up?" Jonathon grumbled as he looked away from Leigh and back at Chris. 

Chris smirked again. "There's no crime in that. Although you're probably not the only one thinking those kind of thoughts. I bet David is."

"What makes you say that?" 

"Since he's been celibate since he started dating Kellie. And now that he's marrying her, he won't have to be anymore."

"You're mind was always in the gutter," Jonathon remarked dryly. 

"So is yours," Chris replied, grinning. 

"David is probably too nervous to think about anything. We almost had to tie him to a chair this morning," Jonathon pointed out. "And we made sure there was no way he would be able to get out of the Church."

"That's true. For the first time in his life, David is scared out of his mind," Chris chuckled. "I bet you would be too, if you were marrying Leigh."

Jonathon choked hard, making his eyes water. 

Chris rolled his eyes and pounded on his brother's back. He noticed that Leigh was looking over in their direction. He knew that she had been casting looks in Jonathon's direction since she arrived at the Church with the other bridesmaids. Since he had caught them in the locker room after his match a week ago, he knew that something had to be done. 

"Why the hell would you say something like that for?" Jonathon hissed as he regained his breath. 

"Because I know you would marry her if you had the chance to," Chris said knowingly. 

"Well I'm not! I won't get the chance to!" Jonathon whispered sharply. 

"Who knows what can happen. You never know," Chris said benignly. 

Jonathon glared at his brother, but said nothing. _"One of these days I'm going to strangle my older brother for being so damn observant."_

******************************************************************************

Leigh looked away from Jonathon as she caught Chris's eyes on her. He saw way too much. Victoria did too. 

"You were staring at him again," Victoria mentioned as she pushed back an errant curl away from her face. 

"I wasn't," Leigh protested. 

"You were so. Don't lie. I caught you at it. I know you still love him. There is no way to hide it. I can see it in your eyes whenever you look at him."

"Is not!" Leigh protested softly. 

"It is. And I know what happened between you two in the locker room last week after his match. Chris told me."

"I thought I told him not to!"  
  


Victoria laughed quietly. "Chris knows better then to keep things from me. He doesn't like to sleep on the couch."

"You haven't told anyone?"

"No, and I'm not going to," Victoria said gently. "I know you don't want anyone to know. Your secret is safe with me."

Leigh breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

Victoria smiled at her friend. She looked up as the wedding coordinator started putting people in their places. "Well time to get this show on the road," she said as gave Leigh another smile. She made her way to the back of the line. She was the matron of honor. 

Leigh sighed a little as she slipped her arm through Zach Merquise's arm. She watched as Hilde slipped her arms through Jonathon's and Chris's arms and start down the aisle with Duo following. Her eyes misted a little. She looked over her shoulder at Kellie, who was resplendent in her bridal satin. Zechs looked slightly nervous, but Kellie looked calm as usual. "I don't think I could be that calm," she said to herself. She took a deep breath as her and Zach started down the aisle. 

******************************************************************************

Jonathon watched her from his spot on the altar. Chris and him both stood there silently. _"God she looks beautiful. I love her so much." His eyes caught hers as she took her place. He could see the feeling in them. __"I love you Leigh."_

She met his gaze as he continued to look at her. His eyes were communicating all he felt. _"I love you Jonathon. God help me, I still do." Her eyes turned to the one side of the aisle where Ling sat. He smiled at her. Her heart twisted a little. She had earned the love of two men. One who could admit it, the other one who could not. She returned his smile with a slight one of her own. _

He could see Ling from where he was standing at the alter. Jealousy was gnawing on his stomach, making it churn. His eyes then fell on Wufei on Kellie's side of the aisle. He still felt like choking the life out of the older man. He knew his dad still wanted to. Wufei paid him back in tenfold for hurting Leigh. He never could have imagined Wufei being that calculating and ruthless just to make him as miserable as he had Leigh at different times. The lengths that man had gone through were mind boggling because they worked so efficiently and effectively. He had wanted Leigh out his reach and succeeded. _"Damn the man." His eyes went to David, who was trying not to fidget at all in front of the three hundred guests. __"Poor sucker having to do this in front of so many people. There is no way in hell that I'm going to put myself through the hell that Chris and David went through just to get married. I'd rather shoot myself than have this many people at my wedding."_

Leigh's eyes wandered out over the massive congregation. She shuddered inwardly at the sheer number of people looking back at her. It made her uncomfortable. _"There is no way I want a wedding of this size. Something small would do just fine." She was pulled out of her thoughts as the wedding march began to play. She smiled as she saw Kellie with her arm tucked through her father's. She felt her eyes get hot, but she pushed them away as they slowly made their way down the aisle. _

Jonathon grinned as he saw David's expression. He looked back at Kellie and whistled softly so only Chris would hear. _"David is one lucky guy."  His eyes went back to Leigh and like the other bridesmaids; she was trying not to cry. A soft smile crossed his face. _

She felt his eyes on her and she turned hers towards him. She saw the look he was wearing and returned a soft smile of her own before she returned her eyes to Kellie and Zechs. 

His eyes rested on her as the service finally began. He barely heard a word the minister was saying since he was looking at Leigh. He saw her touch her fingers to her eyes as David and Kellie said their vows. He lowered his head some. _"If only." _

Leigh stole a glance at Jonathon from under her lashes. His head was bent as the minister pronounced David and Kellie husband and wife. A lump formed in her throat, but she smiled as the newly married couple made their way down the aisle. She slipped her arm through Zach's, as it was finally their turn. She could see Jonathon up ahead with Veronica.

Jonathon wanted to look over his shoulder at Leigh, but he forced himself not to. He looked at Veronica as she walked beside him, her arm through his. He sighed as he thought about the rest of the evening. "This is going to be a long, long night," he mumbled under his breath. 

At the reception…

Jonathon watched her over his tumbler as she danced with Ling out on the dance floor. He sighed as he put the glass down. He glanced over at Morgan, who was talking to Kellie and Victoria. "Morgan, would you care to dance?" he asked as he got out of his chair. He bowed slightly before the three women. 

"Of course you may," Morgan said, smiling up at him as she took his hand. Her butter colored slip dress enhanced the warm cream tone of her skin and the soft curves of her body. She rested her hand on his shoulder. She could see his eyes on Leigh and Ling. "You should stop that," she chided gently. 

He looked back down at her. He gave her a faint smile. "Well, who am I supposed to look at? It looks like you have Dominic's eyes on you. He's been staring over at you for the past hour and a half."  
  


She shook her head. "I came here for you and to be with you, not Dominic."

"Morgan, Morgan, always doing what's best for me."

"You need someone to look after you or else you'll self destruct."

"I would rather you be happy with someone who isn't a basket case."

"You're not a basket case Jonathon."

"I am. The woman I want is with someone else. More then likely she'll marry him and then maybe I could put myself out of my misery."  
  


"You would be more miserable if she married him," Morgan pointed out.

A tell tale flush crept up his cheeks and he looked away from her probing gaze. His eyes fell on Wufei, who was smiling smugly, like he knew something the whole world didn't. He knew why Wufei never liked him dating Leigh. It was because he never bowed and scraped before him in order to go out with her in the first place. He wasn't going to humble himself before a man that had known him as a child. That was humbling enough. It was also because of his reputation with women. He didn't fully blame him for that. That was a given. He sighed and returned his eyes back to hers. "And the more miserable I am, the happier that man over there would be."

She looked over at Wufei. She frowned and looked back at him. "You're letting him get to you, you know."

"I know, but what he did just to keep me away from Leigh was…"

"Reprehensible and cruel. Not to mention that he's the reason you smashed your hand through security glass."

"Wufei's had it in for me since the day I stared chasing after Leigh. And there were a lot of reasons for why I smashed my hand through glass. He's one of them, but not the sole reason I almost sliced my hand into pieces."

"You were the one who lost his temper. You always react before you think," Morgan sighed. 

"I thought about it. It was him or the glass. I chose the glass, even though sometimes I wish I had broken his nose instead," Jonathon grumbled. His eyes went over to Leigh and Ling again. "And I wish I could wring Ling's neck every time I saw Leigh with him."

A sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head. Her eyes went to his left hand that was holding hers. The scars were apparent on his tanned skin. They were the outward manifestation of what he had gone through in the past year. He had been mentally shredded and it broke her heart because she cared about him so much. He was her closest friend and there wasn't much she could do for him except be there. It made her feel helpless. "The more you look the more it'll hurt you," she said softly as she looked up at him again. 

He turned his eyes back to her again. He could see that concerned look she had, flickering in her golden brown eyes. A faint smile crossed his lips. "I know you worry Morg. It's just hard sometimes."

A smile touched her lips. "I understand. Today I would, especially. You would want nothing more then to marry Leigh. I can see it in your eyes. I saw it there in the Church as I see it there now. But don't lament on something that's not going to happen."

Jonathon lowered his head and pressed his forehead on the top of her head. "Just let me for one more night."

She moved her head so their foreheads were touching. "One more night," she echoed as she pressed a kiss on his cheek and slipped her arms around his neck. 

He linked his arms around her waist, letting his head rest on top of hers once again. He closed his eyes to block out Leigh and Ling and to really think of her as his, one more time. 

******************************************************************************

Leigh's eyes went over to Jonathon as he danced with Morgan. She hadn't asked if he was seeing the pretty brunette. She didn't think she could handle the answer if it was yes. She looked over at Kellie and Victoria as they sat talking at the main table. She smiled ruefully as Victoria held Rhys on her lap as Chris was "dancing" with Alex in his arms on the dance floor. She could see David talking to Miles and his beautiful fiancée, Cristal. She spotted her brother being tugged out onto the dance floor by Isabella Barton again. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the newly engaged Zach and Quatrina, dancing as well. Everyone seemed happy. 

Ling looked down at her as they danced. She was looking around her at everyone else. A sad smile was crossing her lips. "Are you all right Leigh?" he whispered softly. 

She cast her eyes up at him. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just been a long day."

"You looked beautiful up there," he commented as he pressed his cheek against her temple. 

"I was only a bridesmaid, not a bride."

"You could be."

She leaned away from him startled. "What do you mean?"

He looked over at Wufei, before looking back at her. "You'll see," he said as he let go of her and pulled her over to where there was a microphone set up. "I asked David beforehand. He gave me the go to do this."

"To do what?" Leigh asked, her voice shaking slightly. 

"Only this," Ling said as he took the mike off the stand. He nodded at the deejay, who stopped the music. "I have an announcement to make."

"What are you doing?" she asked again, panic lacing her voice. 

He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a box.

Leigh thought she was going to faint. 

Jonathon blinked as he pulled Morgan forward to see what was going on. His eyes fell on a box in Ling's hand. His stomach tightened. 

Ling smiled up at Leigh as he got down on one knee. He flipped open the box with one finger. A huge diamond solitaire glittered in its platinum setting. "Chang Leigh, would you give me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Her heart stopped beating in her chest. Her eyes centered on the ring in the box and then back at his face. She felt like she was going to hyperventilate. And what was worse, she had an audience of three hundred, staring at her. 

Jonathon looked at Leigh. She was standing motionless. He felt sick. He felt the need to run because he didn't think he would able to take it when she said yes. He yanked his hand out of Morgan's and pushed through the crowd running. The door of the ballroom slammed behind him. 

Leigh's eyes went to Jonathon. She saw his eyes widen several degrees before running. Her heart twisted as the door slammed. Her eyes went back to Ling. "Ling…I…I…"  
  


Morgan turned on her heel and went after Jonathon. Chris, Randy, and David followed her.

******************************************************************************

Duo's eyes turned glacial as they fell on a smirking Wufei as he looked on. "I'm going to beat that man within an inch of his life."

Hilde cast a look at her husband. Apprehension filled her as she noted his expression. It was the one that he used to get when he was fighting in the Deathscythe. Someone was going to meet his maker. She looked over at Sally, who looked ready to explode at her husband. "Oh no," she said worriedly. ******************************************************************************

Leigh was confused. She didn't know what to do. She looked over at her father, who was nodding his head with approval. She could see her mother's furious expression directed at her father as well as the killing one that Duo was sending him. Her eyes went back to Ling, but Jonathon's expression filled her mind. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go through with it anymore. She couldn't hurt him in the worst possible way. "Ling…I…I…can't," she said tearfully as she pulled her hand out of his and started running in the direction that Jonathon had gone. 

Ling was shocked. Surprised. He went after her. 

Wufei followed, frowning. 

Duo followed, murder intent in his eyes. 

Sally ran after them both.

******************************************************************************

"Jonathon!" Morgan yelled as she ran after him. 

Jonathon walked rapidly down the hall. His blood was thundering in his ears. "Leave me alone Morgan!" He threw open the front door. 

"Jonathon!" she yelled again as she continued to follow him outside. She could see him getting into his truck. "Jonathon!" she screamed. 

He peeled out of the driveway. He wanted to die inside. He wanted to be alone. He didn't pay attention to her screaming. 

Morgan let her hands fall to her sides. "Jonathon," she said softly, defeated. She felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. She looked up at Chris. 

"I don't think that we could have stopped him. He would have punched David or me to get away," Chris stated as he watched the taillights disappear. 

"I had no idea that was Ling's intent. If I had known, I wouldn't have let him. Dammit!" David hissed as he raked his hand through his hair. 

"It's not your fault David. It's no one's fault. Not even Ling's because he never knew about Jonathon and Leigh," Randy said sadly as she shook her head. 

"Come on, let's go back inside," Chris said as he turned on his heel before looking out where his brother disappeared to. His face turned grim. 

Inside the mansion…

Ling pulled Leigh back as they reached the hall. She turned her eyes towards him. "I can't Ling! I can't marry you."  
  


"Why not?" Ling asked as he searched her face. 

"Because I can't! I can't do this to myself! To you! To him!"

"To him?"

"To Jonathon! I never told you that I dated him on and off for four years. I was in love with him, but he never told me that he loved me back! We broke up last year again when we had a pointless argument! I told myself I wouldn't go out with him again! And my father," she laughed mirthlessly, "my father set me up with you in order to keep Jonathon away."

Ling's eyes widened. He looked towards Wufei, who had just entered the hall. "Is that true? Did you set me up with her to keep someone else from being with her?" His eyes went back to Leigh. "And how come you never told me?"

"I never told you because I didn't want you to know," Leigh said sorrowfully as she looked at the tiled floor under her feet. "I didn't think it was important for you to know that I had already had my heart broken by him. And my dad didn't want you to find out that I had been in love with a womanizer. He thought it would taint me."

His eyes returned to the older man's. "Is this true?"

Wufei shook his head. "Its true. I was only doing what was best for my daughter. My first marriage was arranged. I should've done it with both of my girls but Sally insisted that I didn't. It would have been better off in the end. She wouldn't have fallen for some…"

"Chang, you're ass is mine this time!" Duo yelled furiously as he marched into the hallway. Hilde was following. 

Sally turned and looked at him. He looked like Hades. She paled.

Wufei glared at Duo. "And what are you doing?"

"I'm going to beat the living daylights out of you that's what! Death is way too good for you! I think I'll just torture you some!" Duo growled menacingly. 

"Duo don't!" Hilde protested as she held onto his arm, trying to hold him back from committing homicide. 

"Maxwell, you wouldn't be able to," Wufei scoffed. 

"Wufei!" Sally yelled angrily.

"STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!" Leigh screamed. She looked at her father. "I'VE HAD IT! YOU CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! YOU'VE HURT JONATHON ENOUGH! I'VE HURT HIM ENOUGH! HE MIGHT HAVE CAUSED ME ENOUGH PAIN TO LAST ME A LIFETIME! BUT I LOVE THAT IDIOT!"

"Leigh you don't know what you're saying," Wufei said sharply. 

"I KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT I'M SAYING! YOU MAY NOT LIKE HIM FOR WHAT HE'S DONE TO ME, BUT I LOVE HIM! HE WAS MY CHOICE! AND HE LOVES ME!" she countered, her eyes flashing brilliantly. 

Ling watched the exchange in disbelief. 

"AND FOR YOU TO USE LING IN YOUR SCHEME TO MAKE SURE THAT JONATHON HAD NO CHANCE WAS MALICIOUS AND DECIETFUL!" Her eyes filled with tears. "How could you do this to me? I was sacrificing my own happiness because of you. I thought that was what you would do for me. I know you wanted nothing but the best for me, but Jonathon was the best for me because he loved me unconditionally. And I loved him. And I still do."

Duo lowered his arm and stared at her as she broke down in tears. 

Hilde's eyes fell to the floor. 

Sally gave Wufei a fulminating look. 

Ling watched as Leigh covered her face with her slender hands. A sympathetic smile creased his lips as he put the ring back in his pocket. He pulled out a handkerchief and walked over to her. "Take this," he said softly. 

Leigh looked up at him and took it. "Thank you," she whispered as she wiped her tears away with it. She looked back up at him. "I'm sorry for leading you on all these months. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

He shook his head. "No need to apologize Leigh. I understand now. I sort of knew that I never had your whole heart." He touched her cheek briefly with his fingers. "Go after him. Go after the man you really love."

She smiled tearfully at him. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug before releasing him. She turned on her heel and ran. 

Wufei watched as Leigh left. "Silly onna of mine going after a man that couldn't…"

***CRACK*** Sally's hand exploded against her husband's cheek. "Stop it right now Wufei Chang or I swear, I'll tell Duo to kill you," she hissed. 

He stared at the woman that was his wife. His eyes turned towards Duo, who was glaring at him malevolently. He didn't say anything. 

"You've done it for the last time Chang. I swear, by God, if you ever mess with my son like that again, I will slit your damn throat in a heartbeat," Duo snarled as he went over to the shorter man. He looked down at Wufei for a moment before balling up his fist. He took a deep breath. "You're not worth it," he muttered as he turned to his wife. 

Hilde shook her head and ran her hands on Duo's forearms. She looked over at Sally. "You think Leigh will be able to find him?"

"She'll know," Chris said as the rest of them came inside. "Because I guarantee that's where he went."

"Where?" Hilde asked quietly. 

"To Mermaid's Sound," Morgan replied, smiling thinly. "It's secluded. It's quiet. And very few people know about it. And it's Jonathon's favorite place to go when he wants to be alone. I know because he took me there once. And as far as I know, Leigh's the only other person he's taken there."

"You think it'll turn out all right?" Hilde asked worriedly. 

"I don't know. It might be too late," Randy, said in a low voice. 

"Let's hope not," Sally replied as she shook her head. 

"We can only hope," David said quietly as he walked past them, back towards the ballroom. 

And one by one, they followed him back to the ballroom, except for Ling and Wufei. The two men stood silently for a moment. 

"You shouldn't have," Ling said finally. "I wouldn't have pursued her if I knew about Jonathon and how she felt towards him. You should have let her go to the one she loved Wufei. I know I would have," he said softly as he bowed his head and let himself out of the house. 

Wufei stood there alone in the hall with his cheek burning from his wife and a threat from the God of Death. He bowed his head. "Forgive me," he whispered.

_A/N: Were any of you expecting that twist? Can't wait to see what happens? Well stay tuned for more coming soon! The dramatic conclusion is almost at hand! XOXO!!_


	17. Last Chance?

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

Warring Hearts, Part 16 

**__**

Jonathon stared sightlessly out at the water as it lapped on the beach. His jacket, vest, and tie lay discarded on the inside of his truck. The white shirt was untucked and a few top buttons had been undone. He tilted the bottle of rum to his lips again, making a face again as it went down. He looked at the bottle in the moonlit darkness. "This is not helping," he muttered as he let it dangle from his fingers. He was sitting on the lock box in the back of his truck. He knew that he wasn't supposed to be on the beach with it, but at the moment, he really didn't give a damn. "What ways to lose the woman you love? Just have someone else ask her to marry them right in front of you!" he hissed as he looked back out into the night. "There isn't anything more I can do. She probably said yes. I wouldn't blame her if she did. She deserves someone who loves her and can say it to her. She deserves a lot better than me," he laughed bitterly.

Leigh made her way to the place she knew that he would go. She pulled her car into the beach parking lot and got out. She would have to walk from here. She let her shoes hang from her fingers as she walked along the beach. Guilt was eating at her. She had broken him completely. She knew she had to tell him that she said no. She couldn't let him think that she said yes because it would tear him apart inside and he would go and do something dangerous. Her feet sank into the sand as she walked. It wasn't an easy place to find since there were only two ways to get there. One was to walk over the rocks on the water on the other side of the cliffs, and two was by car. But her car couldn't take that road unless she wanted to rip out the bottom of her car. So she walked. "Jonathon, please don't be doing something stupid," she prayed as she reached the rocks. She hiked up the skirt of her dress and gingerly stepped onto the rocks. They pressed mercilessly into her feet for they were sharp, wet, and slippery. She braced her hand up on the rocky wall and made her way over them without hurting herself. She stepped back down onto the sand. She looked around and spotted his truck sitting there in the moonlight. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she walked towards him. "Jonathon," she called out softly. 

For a moment, he thought it was the wind calling him, but he turned his head and saw her approaching. His eyes grew cold and he looked away from her. "What the hell do you want?"

A frown crossed her face at his tone, but she understood his hostility. "I wanted to talk to you," she replied calmly as she stood at the foot of the truck. She looked up into his face, ignoring the chilling feeling she was getting from the look in his cobalt eyes. 

"Shouldn't you be spending time with the man you're going to marry?" he asked bitingly. 

Leigh flinched inwardly. "That's what I came to talk to you about."

"What? Going to apologize for him doing it so publicly Leigh?" Jonathon replied nastily, turning his eyes away from her. 

 She snapped. "Dammit Jonathon, stop being an asshole for thirty seconds and listen to me!" She placed her hand on the gate and tapped her nails on it. "First, I want to get up here so you don't look down on me. I COULD use YOUR help?"

He glared at her, but put the bottle down. He looked down at her as she glared right back at him from the sand. He jumped down and grabbed her by the waist, picking her up effortlessly and set her down hard in the bed of the truck. "Happy now," he hissed as he climbed back up again and sat down. 

"You're drunk," Leigh hissed back as she observed the two empty liquor bottles, "No wonder you're acting like a bastard."

"I'm not yours to bitch at anymore Leigh! So say what you have to and then leave me the hell alone!"

"Someone has to bitch at you or else you'll self destruct you jackass!"

He said nothing for a moment as her eyes impaled him like knives. Her eyes were frosty. He had never intimidated her; she never let him get away with it. "What do you have to say?" he growled in a more controlled tone.

"I wanted to tell you…" she began as she sat down next to him, "…that I turned Ling down."

Jonathon's eyes widened with shocked surprise as they glanced at her. He turned them away however, and looked back out into the night. "You should've said yes."

"I should have said yes to a man that I don't love?"

He returned his eyes to hers. "I thought you told me all those months ago that you loved him."

"I did because you were hounding me about it. I was already mad at you for fooling around with Veronica."

"So you decided to inflict some pain on me for hurting you by telling me that you loved someone else?" His eyes narrowed dangerously again. "You really are a piece of work Leigh. Couldn't you have just killed me and been done with it?"

"Why would you have preferred death?"

"Over hearing that you loved someone else? Hell yeah!" 

"And you think that would've done you any good?"

"Let me think about that for a minute…" Jonathon paused as he tilted his head to one side, "yes, it would," he snapped angrily.  "You didn't have to tell me unless you wanted to twist the stake in my chest a little more. You could be a heartless bitch when the situation called for it."

"And you were asking for it!" Leigh exploded as she turned to look at him. "You made out with Veronica and you were still involved with me! You fooled around with a sixteen year old girl!"

"I was being stupid! And I'm sorry it ever happened! You didn't have to get back at me for something that happened nearly two years ago!" he shouted at her. "I may have deserved you hating me, but I didn't deserve to have you twist the dagger a little more by telling me that you loved another man! You rubbed it right in my face and then your father needled me a little more! I punched my hand through security glass because of you!"

"You were the one stupid enough to let my father get the best of you!" she shouted back. 

"You know, you're really compassionate Leigh," he said sarcastically. "Does Ling ever see this side of you? Does he know what you sound like when you're good and mad?"

"Ling never gave me a reason to lose my temper! Unlike you!" she fired back. 

"So he doesn't know that a heated argument turns you on and that the mere bit of resistance you get from you're opposition makes you wet!"

Her face flared with color. "You…you…" she sputtered. 

"And that you like make up sex or that you like it hard and fast."

Leigh's face flamed an angry red. "You bastard! That's why I was with him! He didn't do this to me! He never gave me reason to lose my temper! You did! You never could leave something alone! You always had to start an argument! You made my life a living hell!"

His hand shot out and twisted itself into her thick black hair, pulling her face close to his. "I made a woman of you! And if you don't want to admit that fine! But everything I said about you is true and you know it! And if you cared one bit for me at all, you wouldn't have said that to me, even in the heat of anger!" 

She could see her reflection in the depths of his cobalt eyes. They were almost black with rage. But she could also see what was being covered up behind them. He didn't want her to know how much she really hurt him. He was protecting himself from her so he was being deliberately vicious. She knew that he was the type to go for the jugular. "You think I don't care about you! I turned down another man because I didn't want to tear you apart more than you already were! I cared enough about you to turn down a fucking marriage proposal!"

"Don't do me any favors Leigh!"  
  


Leigh ground her teeth together. He was being obstinate and it was driving her insane. "I wasn't doing it solely for you! I was doing it for me! I was sick of living a lie that's been going on for the past year! I liked Ling very much, but I didn't love him! I couldn't make myself love him because half the time I was hung up on you!"

"You were the one who broke it off remember! You said it was for the best!"

"I was being stupid that's why! I thought I could get over you and find someone else! I was wrong! I was in love with you then like I'm in love with you now! And if you don't like that answer you can shove it!" she yelled at him. 

Jonathon's brow furrowed slightly. "You have a funny way of showing it," he grumbled as he let go of her hair, letting it slide from between his fingers. He let it drop down on his lap. 

"Do you think if I didn't love you at all, would I be here, telling you that I turned down a chance with a man that clearly adores me. Jonathon, I gave you my heart along time ago. I'm sure that you already knew that," she continued in a softer tone. 

"I knew it. I always knew that," he replied quietly as he swirled the liquid in the bottle. 

"Then why all of this?"

"Because I didn't want to let you so close. You know me better than anyone else. You would know that I've never confessed what I really felt and that I've always tried to hide it."

Leigh looked at him. She longed to hold him close, but she couldn't. "You even hid it from me, what you felt. You never could tell me the truth whenever I asked you."

"About what?"

"Jonathon, didn't it ever cross your mind that I was always waiting for you to say something? That the reason I really broke up with you wasn't because of that silly argument? Jonathon, I just wanted you to tell me how you really felt about me, but you never did. Even after all the opportunities that I gave you," she answered sadly as she twisted her fingers together 

A dawning look crossed his face. "I haven't really thought of why you broke up with me. I didn't know that you were waiting for something."

She shook her head as she turned to face him. "I love you. I do. God help me that I do. But there was no way I was going to go with you without knowing how you felt. I needed to know. A girl will only take so much before she falls apart. And I didn't want to do that. I just needed to hear the words."

He caught the sorrowful catch in her voice. "You know that I always cared about you," he said carefully. 

"I know that! But that's not what I'm talking about! That's why I broke up with you! I couldn't go on like we were! I never knew how you really felt. I could sometimes see it in your eyes that you cared, but otherwise I didn't know how you really, really felt," Leigh said, as she tried to keep the catch out of her voice. She stood up and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. "But like then, I can't go on without knowing. And if you can't tell me now, there is no real reason for us to be together. I love you too much, but I will let you go if I have to."

Jonathon put down the bottle and looked up at her. She looked so incredibly beautiful. He couldn't explain what it was that drew him to her. He just knew that he loved her for who and what she was. And she wanted to hear him say it. He knew that he needed to say it this time. But he felt his nerves unravel, his mouth go dry, and his palms sweat. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Leigh, I was being foolish. I don't admit to strong feelings towards a woman because I don't usually feel them. Those girls were with me for one reason only like I was with them. I don't want to be hurt, just like anyone else. I fear rejection more than I fear Heero Yuy. I know that's not an excuse, but it's always been hard to express what I feel for you because I just don't know how."

A rueful smile touched her lips. "You know once I walk away, there is no going back. I may love you, but I need you to say it." She took a few steps and jumped down onto the sand again. She looked over her shoulder. "Good bye Jonathon," she said as she turned away. Her eyes welled with tears. She knew she wouldn't get it out of him. It was already too late for that. 

His eyes widened. She meant it. He couldn't do this. He had to get over the fear now. Now before she walked away from him completely and permanently. He couldn't let it happen again. He wouldn't let her go without a fight this time. He jumped down and raced after her. He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. "Don't go, I need you too much. I…love you too much to let you go again." And with that, he kissed her.

Leigh's eyes wide at his response before sliding closed as his mouth slanted over hers. Her arms wrapped around him, holding him tight to her. Tears slid from the corners of her eyes to slip down her cheeks. She broke the kiss and looked him straight in the eye as their foreheads touched. "You mean that?" she breathed. 

"Yes, I mean it. I love you. I've loved you since I don't know when I've wanted to tell you so many times, but I didn't know how without freezing up. I'm sorry if I hurt you like that by not saying them, I'm so, so sorry," he pleaded as he wiped her tears away with this fingers. "Forgive me for being a total coward and not telling you sooner. I love you Leigh. There's nothing more to it."

A smile touched her lips. "I know you do. I can see it in your eyes. Don't ever hide it from me. I've always loved you," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck again and pressed her lips insistently against his. 

His fingers twisted themselves in the satin material of her dress. His other hand buried itself in her hair, holding her head in place as he kissed her. He had missed this, missed her. Missed feeling her in his arms. He moved his mouth across her cheek to her ear. "I love you," he whispered again. Now that he had said it, he didn't want to stop. He wanted to make up for all the times that he didn't. "I promise to make it up to you every way possible Leigh. I want you and only you. I promise to be with you forever."

She pressed her cheek against his. "What are you asking me Jonathon?" 

Jonathon pulled away and ran his fingers over her jaw. "What does it sound like? Leigh, I want you to marry me."

Her eyes went wide with shock. She wouldn't have thought that he would do that quite so soon, but she also knew she wouldn't turn him down if he asked. She touched his cheek with her fingers. "Yes. I'll marry you," she responded quietly, lovingly. 

A trademark Maxwell grin crossed his face. He picked her up by her waist and swung her around in his arms. He didn't put her down however, but carried her back to the truck, depositing her in the back. He climbed in after her and pulled her against him again until she was sitting with her back against his chest. He pressed a kiss on her temple again. "I love you."

Leigh titled her head back and looked up at him. A smile lit her face. "I love you too. But Jonathon, what prompted you to ask?"

He turned her to face him. He looked into her luminous ice blue eyes. "Because I wanted to. Because I know in my heart, that you would be mine. Always." He kissed her again, pulling her astride his lap, his hands thoroughly wrecking her hair as they threaded through once again. 

She had her skirt hiked up enough to sit on his lap that way, the purple silk of her dress swirling down over his legs and hers. She leaned away from him briefly. Her blood was racing from their kisses and from the mere touch of his hands on her skin. "You would do anything for me?"

"Anything."

"Tell me you love me again."

"I love you," he said in a low voice as he pulled her mouth back down to his. "I love the way you feel, I love the way you look, I love the way you come," he whispered as he pressed his mouth against her throat. His hands began moving downwards. "I love your smile, I love the way you love me. I love the way you're making me feel right now." His hands were on her hips, still moving downwards. 

"And what's that?" she asked in a smoky voice. 

"Turned on and still so much in love with you," Jonathon replied as he pulled her closer. He rubbed his nose against hers. 

Leigh smiled and rubbed her nose against his. " I love you too, but don't you think we should take this somewhere else?" 

"Nope," he replied. "Right here is just fine. Now, be quiet and let me kiss you."  
  


She nodded her head as his lips claimed hers in a passionate loving kiss. 

_A/N: How did you like that? Surprised? Happy? Stay tuned for the last chapter coming up soon! XOXO!!_


	18. Finally

_Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!_

Warring Hearts, Part 17 

**__**

Leigh awoke feeling slightly stiff as she raised her head of his shoulder. She blinked her eyes a few times as they adjusted to the bright sunlight as it flooded the beach. She leaned away from him and looked into his sleeping face. He looked older to her this close. Her lips curved into a soft smile as she lay her head back down on his shoulder, snuggling deeper into his arms. They were lying in the bed of his truck. She tugged his jacket that he had laid over her. She curled her toes back up underneath the hem of her dress to keep them warm. 

Jonathon peeked an eye open as she cuddled closer. Her hair was a hopeless mess now as it tumbled in loose waves about her face. "Morning," he said softly.

She lifted her eyes to his. She felt his one arm tighten about her waist as she moved closer to him. "Morning," she replied as she smiled at him. 

He reached up and brushed her hair away from her face. "I love you."

"I love you too," Leigh said as she kissed him. Her hand curled against the front of his shirt. "It's nice to wake up next to you again."

"That it is. The first time in a long time." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Last time you left me."

"I'm sorry for that."

"It's done now. All that matters is that you're here now. And that you're going to be my wife."

"How do you think our parents will react to that?" Her eyes flickered with uncertainty. 

"My parents? Overjoyed no doubt. Your mom? I think she would like it very much," Jonathon replied as he rubbed his hand over her back soothingly, "your father however, is a different story."

"I'll take care of my dad. I'm not going to let him come between us again," she said, some hostility in her voice. 

Jonathon shook his head. "I'll talk to him."  
  


A surprised look entered her eyes. "You'll talk to him?"

"I won't marry you without some sort of permission. I mean to have it too. I won't give you up this time Leigh. I love you too much."

"But you know he doesn't think you're good for me? He's the one who started this mess."  
  


"And I'll finish it. My dad is the same way. No guy is going to be good enough for Randy. All of the dads feel that way. I don't blame them. I know he doesn't think I'm good enough for you and sometimes I don't think I'm good enough for you, but you love me, and that's all that matters," he said with his jaw set. 

Leigh took note of the look on his face. It was one of total stubbornness and defiance. She toyed with the buttons of his shirt as they lay there. "Do you even have a ring?" she asked finally. 

"No. I figure you would want to pick your own since you're not too into jewelry. And I want you to have what you want," he answered as he kissed her lips again. 

She kissed him back, laying her hands on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat under her palms. The feeling made her smile against his mouth. 

Later on that day…

Wufei glared right back at Duo as they both sat in the living room of the Maxwell's house. "You're getting soft Maxwell," he stated snidely. 

Duo's brow furrowed and a cold look entered his eyes. "And what's that supposed to mean Chang?"

"That if it were several years ago, you would have punched me. You're getting soft and it shows."

"You really want me to punch you? I can arrange that!"

Wufei stood at the same time as Duo. Both men eyed each other, the hostility crackling throughout the air. He didn't block the punch that Duo threw, but dodged it by moving his head to the one side. "You're reflexes are getting off too," he smirked. 

Duo's nostrils flared at the smirking Chinese man in front of him. "I could say the same about you!"

"Are you implying that I'm getting old Maxwell? I'm in perfect health."

Duo snorted. "Yeah for a backstabbing son of a bitch."  
  


It was Wufei's turn for his nostrils to flare. "You haven't changed one bit."

"Did you expect me to? Get over it Chang! What is it with you that you find my son that bad for your daughter? You were the one who caused this whole mess with your damn meddling!"

"Well if he treated her like she deserved!" Wufei fumed.

"He did!"

"Then tell me why she would come home all those times broken up over him because he managed to hurt her in some way! Like father like son! You put Hilde through the same kind of crap before you married her!"

"I don't need for you to tell me that! I know what I did and I will always feel sorry for doing it! But I loved her just as much as I do now! My son may have a few flaws, but he cares enough about Leigh to come back to her!"

"I would much rather have her with someone who knows how to treat a woman! He's learned it off of you!"  
  


Duo's eyes narrowed even more. "Jonathon knows how to treat a woman! And as for your daughter, don't you give a damn about her happiness or you just doing this to spite me for all the things that I've ever done to you?"

Wufei's face flooded with angry color. "Her happiness is everything to me Maxwell! I love my daughter! I heard every word she said last night I don't need you to remind me of them!"

"Then you should really take them to heart Chang! You either deal with it or lose her forever! And you could stop being a pompous asshole while you're at it!" Duo snapped. 

Wufei's mouth snapped shut. He crossed his arms and went back to his seat. "Where's your woman and mine?"

"Still in the kitchen because Hilde and Sally wanted us to have it out," Duo growled as he returned to his own seat. He looked over at the pictures of his family that were spread throughout the room. He picked up the one with all four of his kids, taken only last year. "There is no crime in wanting the best for your daughter Wufei, I don't dispute that at all since I have a daughter of my own. I would do anything to ensure that she's happy. I know you are doing the same in your own twisted fashion."

Wufei eyed the braided American in front of him. He looked over at the pictures scattered throughout the room as well. His eyes fell on a formal portrait of Randy as a little girl and of her graduation from Saint Augustines. She was the only daughter in a houseful of boys. He remembered her as that little girl. She would usually drag Jet into doing things with her and it would more then likely get them into trouble. But he couldn't remember a time that Duo ever raised his voice to her. That had fallen to Hilde. His brow creased when he thought of his own two daughters, both very different from each other. Leigh was more like him and Merin was more like Sally. He didn't like Leigh or Merin dating only because he knew he would hate to see them get hurt. And when Leigh started dating Jonathon, it was all that he tended to see. He had watched the boy grow up. He was his father's son. And knowing what Hilde had gone through with Duo, he didn't want it for her. He tried to discourage it, but Sally always dissuaded him from doing anything. He knew that Jonathon was a good kid, but his reputation left much to be desired. "Your son is another version of you," he said as he returned his eyes back to Duo's. 

Duo shrugged his shoulders. "I've heard it said about Chris too."

"Jonathon and Chris are you at that age. I see it. And you're right. I am protecting my daughter. I'm doing it in the only way that I know how. I know you did anything you could to make sure that Randy wouldn't get hurt by some guy. Preventing her from dating was one way."

"I didn't exactly prevent her from dating," Duo said mildly as he looked over at the same picture Wufei had been looking at moments before, "I just managed to scare most guys off. She was free to date, but most guys were too scared to approach her in fear of me. Miles was the only one who dared approach her. He showed guts and probably at that time, he was the best choice for her."

"Maxwell, you threatened to break every bone in Miles' body if he dared to hurt her," Wufei countered as he arched a brow. 

"I'm a father, just like you. I say and do things that I don't mean. But I protect her very differently then you do yours. I only threatened physical harm, you on the other hand," he answered, his eyes narrowing again slightly, "play head games. You put my son in a hospital inadvertently because of some comment you made to him causing Jonathon to slam his hand through security glass. Like his mental state for the past couple of months wasn't already screwed up by your interference."

"I was protecting Leigh!" 

"At the cost of my son's mental health!"

"Your kids are already crazy just like you, they don't need outside help!"  
  


Duo opened his mouth, but then closed it. "Well I am crazy," he said thoughtfully as he scratched the back of his head, but his eyes locked onto Wufei's again, "but not as underhanded, like you."

"Are you two going to stop with all this male bravado? This house has enough of that," Hilde commented as she and Sally came back into the room. 

"We thought the house would fall down with the way you two seemed to be going at it," Sally pointed out as she looked at her husband.

"Quiet onna," Wufei mumbled as he cast her a look. She was still looking at him with disapproval. "I was only stating to the braided baka that I was only protecting my daughter."  
  


"And I was stating that he was doing it at my son's expense!" Duo retorted. 

"Well if he hadn't hurt her so many times then maybe I wouldn't have had to resort to protecting her!" Wufei snapped back. 

"Enough! No more! You two settle this here and now, or else I will go to the gun case in the other room, take out a gun, and make you two talk like adults at gunpoint! Do I make myself clear!" Hilde yelled as she crossed her arms over her chest and shot a nasty look at her husband and Wufei. 

Duo slunk down in his seat. "Yes babe."  
  


Wufei snorted disdainfully, only to be blasted by his wife's icy blue eyes and Hilde's cornflower ones. "Very clear," he muttered petulantly at the two women. "But I don't…" he trailed off when he heard the door open then close. He stood up, as did Duo. His eyes fell on Leigh and Jonathon, who stared right back at them. 

Jonathon's brow furrowed as his eyes fell on Wufei. His eyes went to Leigh, whose hand tightened on his. He looked back at Wufei. "I take it you all were expecting us," he said as he walked into the living room with her still holding onto his hand. 

"We were wondering, yes," Hilde, said as she watched her son and Leigh walk over to the fireplace and stand in front of it. She noted that their clothing was wrinkled like it had been slept in. 

"Where were you?" Wufei asked, his eyes boring into his daughter's.

"At the beach," Leigh replied evenly, her hand gripping onto Jonathon's even more. 

Wufei's eyes narrowed slightly at her response. 

"We made up. We're back together again," she said as she narrowed her eyes right back. 

"Are you…" Wufei began to say, but Jonathon cut him off.

"Before you even start your objections, which I know you have plenty. I have a few words to say. I love your daughter. I'm sorry that I hurt her all those times. But I still love her and no matter what you do or say, she's going to love me," Jonathon said clearly as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "I've paid for what I've done. I got the scars to prove it," he said as he held up his hand before he continued, "but I'm not sorry for asking her out under your nose. I would do it again, but I don't do it out of disrespect of you. It was never about that at all. I never had to work so hard to get a date before. She made me work for it, you know. She wasn't swayed by my charm. It would have made you proud the way she told me to shove off. All the effort I put into just getting one date with her was like asking you, so that's why I never asked your permission."

"That doesn't excuse what you did to her," Wufei countered stonily. 

"And I'm not making one. You want me to ask? I'll ask now, do I have permission to date your daughter, Leigh, Wufei?" Jonathon asked.

Wufei's eyes widened slightly with shock. He could see the seriousness in the younger Maxwell's eyes and hear it in the tone of his voice. He never expected this. He never expected Jonathon to be that honest for one, and even bother asking for two. It wasn't a Maxwell trait to ask for anything. "And if I say no?"

"You'll only drive her further away from you and you know it. I know how much she means to you," Jonathon said solemnly. 

Wufei looked back at Leigh, who was looking at him with defiance in her eyes. Those eyes of hers were just like her mother's. He swung his gaze to his wife. She was gazing at him steadily. His eyes went back to Jonathon's cobalt ones. "Why ask now?"

"Because for the first time, I want your permission. I love her and I would like it if you would give your permission," Jonathon replied as he looked into the almost black eyes. 

Wufei's brow wrinkled in thought. His eyes went to his daughter again. "Does he love you?"

"Yes, he does. Very much," Leigh answered quietly as she looked up at Jonathon and smiled. 

"And do you love him?" Wufei then asked. 

"Yes, I love him. More then anything," she replied again as she laced her fingers with Jonathon's even more. 

Part of him wanted to say no. He didn't want her to get hurt even more by the same guy over and over again. His heart, however was saying yes. The well being of his children meant everything to him and he didn't want to drive one away because he was being foolish and overly protective. He looked back at Jonathon, who was bracing himself for an answer. "My answer is…"

Duo's hand tightened on top of Hilde's as she rested her hand on his forearm. He looked back at his son and Leigh before returning his eyes to Wufei. 

Sally prayed desperately as she gazed at her husband. She sent her daughter a reassuring smile.

"…Yes. You have my permission to date my daughter," Wufei finally said as he nodded his head. 

The rigid ness went out of Jonathon's posture as he heard the answer. He let out a breath of relief as he looked down at Leigh and pressed a kiss on her lips. 

"But you hurt her again Maxwell…there will be hell to pay," Wufei warned lightly as he smiled at little at his daughter's pleased expression. He went over to her and stood in front of her. "You forgive me daughter?" he asked softly. 

Leigh looked at her father for a moment and let go of Jonathon's hands. She turned and faced him. She could see herself mirrored in his obsidian eyes. A gentle smile crossed her lips. "I forgive you dad," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. 

He pressed his lips against her jet-black hair as he held her tight. "I'm sorry for being an overprotective father."

"I understand dad. I understand," she said as she pressed her cheek against his chest. She leaned away from him and looked back up at his face. "But that's not all we have to say," she said as she looked over her shoulder at Jonathon, grinning. 

"What else do you have to say?" Wufei asked, puzzled. 

"Yes, what is it?" Sally asked curiously. 

"Well…"Jonathon hedged as he scratched the back of his head. He gave Leigh a silly grin. "Well…"  
  


"Spill it Jonathon. Don't keep us in suspense here," Duo laughed as he watched his son's broadening smile. 

"Well," he said as he looked back at Wufei, who had released Leigh, "I now want your permission to marry Leigh."

Wufei's eyes went wide, as did everyone else's in the room. 

Leigh held up her left hand and on her ring finger, sparkled a single ruby, embedded in gold. She had picked it out because of its simplicity and because the ruby flashed a burning inner fire, much like her love for Jonathon was. And he said it suited her as well. The price of it still made her lightheaded, but she watched him pay for it in full on his credit card without any thought. "Well, what do you think dad?"

His response. ***THUD*** Wufei passed out on the floor. 

"Dad?" Leigh asked as she looked down at her out cold father. 

"Oh dear," Sally exclaimed, but she couldn't help the laughter that bubbled from her lips.

"That was a shocker," Hilde said, as she couldn't stop her own laugher. 

"First time I've seen Wufei out cold," Duo chuckled. 

Leigh looked up at Jonathon. She arched her brow. "I think we shocked him."

"I'll ask again when he comes to," Jonathon said as he pulled her back to her feet. He looked down at his future father in law again and a slight smile crossed his lips. "Sorry again…dad."

His comment made the entire room burst into more laughter. 

******************************************************************************

A week later…

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the minister said as he gestured towards Jonathon. 

Jonathon grinned at Leigh as he cupped her cheeks with his hands and planted a tender kiss on Leigh's lips. "I love you," he whispered. 

"I love you too," Leigh replied as she kissed him back. 

The waves crashed in the background. 

"I now give you Mister and Missus Jonathon Lawrence Maxwell," the minister said as the two of them faced the small group of people gathered on the beach. 

A sounding of applause went up from the guests, which were family and close friends. A small non-traditional wedding was what the both of them wanted. They had chosen the beach because it was one of their favorite places. 

As Leigh and Jonathon stepped forwards, their parents immediately greeted them. Jonathon smiled as both mothers were crying. His father was smiling proudly and his father in law was nodding with approval. "You approve?" he asked, grinning. 

"Yes, I approve," Wufei, sighed as he gave Jonathon a smile. He turned to his daughter and took her hands in his. He kissed the both of her cheeks. He had woken up that day about a week ago with an ice pack on his head and his wife and daughter standing over him. When he had sat up on the couch in the Maxwell's living room, he had looked back at Jonathon. He was looking at him with a calm expression on his face. He slowly gave his permission and then promptly layback again asking for aspirin. He smiled at her as he leaned away. "You were a beautiful bride Leigh," he said softly as he brushed back a stray curl, "you made me proud."

"Thank you dad," Leigh said in a choked voice as she hugged him again. 

Jonathon grinned as he watched her. She was wearing a simple cream-colored slip dress that went down to her ankles. The gauzy material blew gently in the sea breeze, out lining her slender figure. Around her throat were pearls, loaned to her from his mother and small pearl studs dotted her ears. Her hair was pulled back by a simple pearl clasp. She had worn no veil over her silky midnight hair. After being congratulated by his brothers he went over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Leigh," he called softly. 

Leigh turned and faced him. She smiled up at him. Her husband. He looked incredibly handsome in his charcoal suit with a white shirt and a white silk tie. She let go of her father and turned towards him. She burrowed against his chest. "Did you want something?"

"No. I just wanted to hold you again," he said as he bent his head over hers. 

"I can hardly believe that I'm your wife."

"It is mind boggling. Who would have thought that I, Jonathon Maxwell would settle down at the age of twenty-three," he sighed dramatically. "The girls are going to cry."

"They better be crying," Leigh replied possessively as she leaned up and pressed a kiss on his lips, "Because you're mine now."

Jonathon smirked and linked his arms about her waist. "And you're mine," he said as he kissed her back with intensity. 

"Hey come up for air! You two can save that for later when you're alone," Duo teased as he came up and stood next to Wufei, who was rolling his eyes. He passed a look over at Wufei, a trademark Maxwell smirk creasing his lips. "We're related now Wu."

Wufei sighed with resignation. "Don't remind me that I'm related by marriage to you, you baka."

Duo continued to smirk evilly as he turned back towards his son and new daughter in law. "And hopefully, by this time next year we'll be grandparents," he said cheerfully as he clapped a companionable hand on the Chinese man's shoulder. 

"WHAT!" ***THUNK* **Wufei passed out on the sand, sending everyone into peals of laughter.

"DAD!" Jonathon exclaimed, sending his father a reproachful look.

"DUO!" Hilde admonished as she propped her hands on her hips. 

Duo grinned unrepentantly. "I couldn't help it." 

His response caused everyone to roll his or her eyes. 

Jonathon shook his head as he looked back at Leigh. "My dad must have been waiting all day to say that."

Leigh laughed softly. "I'll give your dad credit though, he's the only person that I know who can send my dad into complete shock."

He grinned and rubbed his nose against hers. 

She returned the gesture before her smile turned sultry. "So, you want kids by this time next year?"

Jonathon gave her a lazy smile. "Wanna to start tonight?"

"If you ask nicely."

"May I?"

She nodded her head, smiling flirtatiously. 

"Man, I love you," he breathed as he caught her lips with his in a sensuous kiss. 

"I love you too," Leigh breathed as he lifted his mouth of hers momentarily. She looked into his glowing cobalt eyes that were filled with love. "Never stop loving me the way that you do."

"I'll always love you, no matter what. And thank you for loving me," Jonathon whispered as her eyes welled up with tears at his words.  He knew that she felt the same by the look in her glittering ice blue eyes. He captured her lips with his once again, holding her tight, and this time, never letting go. 

_A/N: The end! The end! How did you guys like it? Let me know! Stay tuned for other stories coming soon! XOXO!!_


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